Reunion: A HTTYD Adventure
by TheBabeLebowski
Summary: Five years after the battle with Red Death, peace has finally reached Berk. But when that peace is interrupted after a freak storm, Stoick orders change that threatens the relationships Hiccup holds dear; and things get worse when they realize the Outcasts and the Berserkers are no where to be found. Warning: Mature language, graphic violence, and sexual content.
1. Trust Fall

_This is the first chapter of many I have already written. I am not putting them all out at once until later, so I hope you will enjoy this as it comes along. Follow for more chapters that are sure to come!  
_

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**Reunion, ****written by Phay G. (TheBabeLebowski)**

**Chapter One: Trust Fall**

"Astrid!"

Her name seemed to make no sound as the wind pelted Hiccup's face relentlessly, Toothless flying beneath him faster than usual. He readjusted his new foot and Toothless' tail, turning them into the island away from the coast. The sun was setting and frost slowly crawled from the mountains to the lower lands of Berk.

Since finding Toothless, his Night Fury and the only dragon of his kind on Berk, Hiccup changed greatly. He became a dragon rider, promoting a change in Berk's way of life. People no longer killed dragons, a common pest for the Viking tribe of the island, but rode them instead, befriending them and caring for them. Hiccup always traveled the skies around the island, but usually it was with Astrid and her Nadder, Stormfly. Neither could be found.

He tried calling Astrid again. Of course, it didn't work, and Toothless was much better at making a sound heard over the pounding of the wind above. He roared and grunted and cooed in hopes of finding his master's friend. They kept flying, Hiccup worried. The only time he had seen her get so angry was when he beat her in the dragon fighting days a year ago, but today, she didn't even talk to him. She disappeared.

Toothless was thirsty and the closest freshwater was in a familiar place for the pair. The cove. The cove was where Hiccup had found Toothless and rehabilitated him to health, and where Astrid first met the Night Fury back when she would have tried to kill him. They found the break in the ground, the gleam of the fresh, blue lake, and glided into it gently. Toothless landed and Hiccup unclipped his metal leg from his dragon, dismounted, and let Toothless drink. They would resume searching afterwards.

Hiccup turned around and slowly walked around the cove. On his new leg, it seemed awkward. Not feeling his other foot beneath him was like flying a dragon for the first time. He gazed around the rocky walls and his eyes caught glimpse of something blue.

Stormfly peeked from behind a large boulder, croaking and hooting like a huge bird. Before Hiccup chose to run to her, Stormfly ran to him instead. The sounds she made were worrisome and Toothless perked up as the Nadder jumped behind Hiccup. She nudged him violently forward.

"Ow! Stormfly, what's going on? Where's Astrid?"

He heard her before he saw her.

"Stay away, Hiccup!" she yelled threateningly from behind the boulder. Hiccup glared. Stormfly whined and pushed him towards it.

"Stormfly won't let me."

Astrid growled. "I will cave your face in if you step around that boulder."

Hiccup frowned. With Stormfly behind him acting the way she was, and Toothless corresponding with her in a way that made Hiccup worried, he approached the boulder slowly. It sounded like Astrid tried to get up, but she cried out and there was a thump. Stormfly stiffened and growled deep in her throat, shifting side to side and shaking her head about. Hiccup ran around the boulder and found Astrid on her hands and knees shaking.

"Astrid?" Worry became alarm as he leaned next to her. She put up a hand to wave him away. It was smeared with blood. Hiccup fell back onto his backside when he saw the red on her pale skin, and she looked up. Her skin was paler than usual, her skin beading with sweat and wet with tears. "What happened?"

Her jaw quivered as her anger morphed into hatred. "They were going to marry me off."

Hiccup blinked. "What?"

"After the fight with Red Death," Astrid explained angrily through gritted teeth, "my parents told me they had a marriage contract ready. They were going to make me do it."

Astrid's face said the rest. She hated the idea of being married off. She was a strong, young woman who had no qualms about cleaving your head in two with her battleaxe. Marriage was not something Astrid wanted for herself, and with things between her and Hiccup on-and-off and yet entirely innocent, she hated the thought of marrying someone she didn't know.

"To whom?" Hiccup wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

"I don't know. I don't care."

"…Why are you bleeding?" Hiccup asked. He crawled over to her and rested a hand on her back, hoping the closeness would reveal an injury she was trying to hide. What he caught a glimpse of were her thighs free from her trousers, and smeared with the same blood on her hand.

He jumped to his feet and scrambled backwards, his stomach flipping. He tried to say something, but no words came out.

"I can't get married to someone I don't know!" Astrid protested. "And the only way that can happen is if the elder sees I've been touched."

Hiccup pulled on his hair and felt his knees go weak. He wanted to hurl, but managed to breathe, "We need to get you home."

Astrid spit through her teeth both in pain and anger. "No one can know, Hiccup. I don't want them to find out I did this."

"So you'd rather everyone thought you snuck about?" Hiccup murmured. He liked Astrid, almost admitted to loving her, so the thought of having the village believe she was one who fooled around made him sick. The degree of what had happened, of what Astrid implied she did to herself, made his mind run faster than he could comprehend. "We need to get you help. We need to get you back to the village."

Next thing he knew, Astrid was grabbing onto the straps of his riding vest and sneering in his face. "You can't tell anyone what I did! You need to promise me that – augh!"

Astrid bit her tongue and groaned. Hiccup, breathing fast and hard, held onto her. "Fine, okay, I won't tell anyone. Just come home."

"I don't want to get married," she whimpered. "Please. Don't let me marry someone I don't know, someone older than me. I'd rather die."

Hiccup swallowed and looked to Stormfly, who was agitated and worried to see her owner injured. "I promise you, Astrid. We'll… come up with a story."

Hiccup kept that secret for five years. After telling the elder Gothi about how Astrid got attacked by a foreign fisherman, Gothi had looked between the two of them after healing Astrid to the best of her ability, pursed her lips, and gave a small nod. He knew she didn't buy the tale, and Astrid's marriage contract to the unknown suitor hadn't been dissolved, but merely postponed until she grew older and decided she was ready as the other party of the marriage contract didn't want to fully annul the agreement.

A year after that, Astrid's parents had another child. Her younger sister was named Snowdrop, an odd name, but that was to be expected. To have a pretty name or a name that made any sort of sense stood out like a sore thumb, like Astrid. But two years after Snowdrop's birth, Astrid's dad perished in a horrible poisoning accident, and her mum was captured in an Outcast raid. They were two of many Vikings and dragons who lost their lives, but theirs were the most memorable and mourned. Snowdrop's care went to Astrid solely, and thus, Astrid became a parent. But she still had time to fly.

"Okay, bud," Hiccup called over the wind that pelted his face as the sun rose in the horizon. The new saddle he made to replace his smaller one when he was younger was holding strong. He had to forge a new leg with Gobber's help to account for his recent growth spurt shortly after his twenty-first name day, and that too was working better than he had thought. Good thing, too. Something was chasing them.

Hiccup cranked his foot down to fold Toothless' tail. They dove downwards towards the angry sea. The rider was still lanky enough to rest his body over Toothless to remain streamlined when fast flying was most required, and they shot through the air faster than an arrow down, down, down closer to the waves. He pulled up to fan out Toothless' wings to shoot over the water. Looking behind him, he expected to see his attacker long lost in the darkness, Toothless being in his element of night.

But Astrid was on his tail, Stormfly's jaws open and her body swooping on top of the Night Fury dangerously close. Hiccup twisted out of the way and the chase grew even more hostile. Stormfly spat flames towards Toothless' tail, trying to light the prosthetic alight. The flames brushed it but the tail held firm as Hiccup flew over the cliffs.

"Now!" he demanded. Ruffnut and Tuffnut, on their Zippleback Barf and Belch, shot out from a hole in the cliff-face, their dragon's necks wrapped in tough leather armour. They rose up under Stormfly and wedged her body between their heads. They crossed to trap Astrid. But she told Stormfly to spike up. Hundreds of deadly spikes shot out from Stormfly's tail, and an eruption of flame lit up the dark blue sky. Snotlout and his Monstrous Nightmare, Hookfang, lit the released spikes on fire to protect Hiccup further.

Astrid and Stormfly fought Barf and Belch off of them. Ruffnut, wielding a spear and a mischievous grin, leapt off Barf's head and onto Stormfly, trying to overpower Astrid. That was next to impossible. She was too good of a fighter, even in breakneck speed, and she met Ruffnut's advances with her bare hands and her feet, eventually kicking Ruffnut in the gut and sending her into thin air. Tuffnut and the dragon released Stormfly to catch her while Fishlegs and Meatlug, his beloved Gronckel, puttered above firing lava shots. Astrid counted those six shots, grunting and ducking and feeling the heat on her back.

"Great manoeuvering, guys!" Hiccup called proudly as Astrid leveled out. "The new tail is working!"

Astrid's face was covered in sweat, her long blonde hair sticking to her forehead and flicking in the wind. The gang pulled up on their dragons to ascend higher in the clouds. It was cooler up there. But as they rose, Astrid felt Stormfly beneath her. Her Nadder seized up, one of her wings folding in awkwardly and suddenly. They lurched to the side. Flung from her dragon, Astrid expected to fly through the air, but her arm was caught in the strap of her saddle. Her arm screamed in pain and she gasped. Stormfly couldn't unfurl her wing and they began to fall.

"HICCUP!" she screamed. She clawed at Stormfly's saddle, trying to free her arm. Stormfly howled as they spiralled towards the stormy morning sea.

The entire party spun around to see Astrid in a deathspin.

"Stormfly's wing!"

"No! Astrid!"

"Again!"

Hiccup pushed Toothless down and tried to catch up. But the Nadder was spinning too wildly to get as close as he needed to.

"We need to get that wing open!" Hiccup told Toothless. Toothless grunted beneath him and lunged forward, using his jaws to snap at Stormfly's contorted wing. He wrapped his gums around the arm of the wing and wrenched it open, steadying Stormfly so suddenly that it caused Astrid's arm to pull free. They didn't realize she was still falling until she smacked the water of the frigid sea. Toothless dove away from Stormfly, who was still struggling but was keeping her wing open, and Hiccup looked into the waves wildly.

"Astrid! ASTRID!" he yelled into the waves. It was the peak of winter and the water was cold enough to kill. A hand exploded up from under the horrendous waves that sloshed Astrid's strong body back and forth. She gasped in the frigid air and almost couldn't breathe again. She flailed around before Hiccup hauled her in front of him.

"Stormfly," she shivered, shaken from the impact to the water and the frozen embrace she clawed out of.

"We got her. Gods, this is bad, we need to get you to a fire."

"Is she okay?" Fishlegs called from above. Hiccup waved to them and motioned to Stormfly.

"Get her back to the Academy, get Gobber to check that wing again. I'm taking Astrid home." He leaned forward to talk to Astrid. "Lie on top of Toothless, he'll keep you from freezing."

She huddled forward and Toothless perked up his crown of dragon fins to give her more protection from the wind. Hiccup leaned over Astrid to cover her more and the three of them raced back to the town on the island of Berk.

Toothless landed limberly in front of the Hofferson home, left entirely to Astrid and her younger sister since their parents were taken from them. Hiccup slid off Toothless first and Astrid slumped into his arms. Her clothing was too wet and heavy and her body too cold for her to properly walk herself. That didn't mean she didn't try.

"I'm fine," she growled, pushing from Hiccup.

"Yeah, uh huh."

He watched her try to open her door. From the back, her shoulders hunched and her hair dripping onto her furs, Hiccup almost wanted to laugh. It was as if she knew, because she turned around, eyes full of anger.

"I can't open the door without waking up Snowdrop."

Hiccup crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side while Toothless chirped behind him. There was a tense silence. He took the opportunity to stare at Astrid with a mischievous grin. Her cheeks were fiery red and her bright blue eyes glared into Hiccup's with annoyance. "So I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" he challenged.

Astrid narrowed her eyes into slits. Hiccup laughed gently as he stepped around her, pulled on the lock latch, shoved open the door, and gestured Astrid inside. She stumbled inside, but not before punching Hiccup in the gut. He groaned as she sat in front the embers of the fire, tossing a log into the pit. She untied her furs and tried to pull them off, hanging them on a rack. Hiccup grabbed a wool blanket and tossed it over her shoulders. She then tried to undo her braid. She lifted her arm and gasped.

"What's wrong?" Hiccup asked quickly, crouching next to her. She tried to roll her shoulders and she grimaced.

"My arm got caught in Stormfly's saddle," she grunted. Hiccup pushed the blanket aside and fingered her pauldron, the armour covering her shoulder. Astrid looked away as Hiccup pulled the armour off.

"May I?" he asked politely, motioning to her shoulder strap. Astrid murmured assent and Hiccup pulled the strap down her shoulder. It was bright pink and red. She looked over and Hiccup moved her arm gently. It hurt, but she was more or less alright. "You won't have to go to Gothi."

"Thank the gods," Astrid groaned. Hiccup straighten up and looked to Toothless who lay next to the door licking his arm. Toothless looked up at Hiccup, his huge green eyes happy and wide. Hiccup smiled and motioned him over. Astrid shot a look at Hiccup. "Wait, maybe I _do_ want to see Gothi."

"No, you don't," Hiccup laughed. "Toothless, here." He held out his hand. Astrid rolled her eyes and shivered as Toothless stuck out his huge tongue and licked Hiccup's palm. Even Hiccup winced as the spit dribbled down his wrist. "Okay, that's still disgusting."

He smeared it over Astrid's shoulder. She growled. "That hurts!" she hissed. Hiccup shook his head as her face calmed. Night Fury saliva was a common healing agent; Hiccup discovered its sedating properties after Toothless first licked his face and his skin went partially numb. Now, it soothed Astrid's pulled shoulder as Hiccup rubbed it in. It wasn't intimate, just close, and Hiccup felt something flutter in his stomach. But he asked Astrid to replace his hand to rub the spit in.

Astrid was still shivering even though the fire grew hotter. Her hair was dripping down her back.

"Here."

Hiccup grabbed her hair and untied the leather strap to unbraid her golden locks. She soon stopped shivering as he silently worked his calloused fingers from root to tip. He used another blanket to rub it dry, or at least to get the extra water out. Astrid leaned back against him and Hiccup caught his breath. They rarely had these comforting quiet moments, on and off since the battle of the Red Death. But when they happened, they both smiled internally in each other's company. Marriage laws in Berk made it more difficult for them to do anything more (if they wanted to).

"I hope Stormfly's okay," Astrid mused. "I know her wing has always bothered her, but it would only get sore…"

Hiccup nodded against her ear, sighing heavily. He wrapped his arms around her to warm her up even more as he thought. "She was a fighting dragon before she became yours. I mean, you were the one who broke a shield across her head."

"Don't remind me," Astrid shuddered. "But I never hurt her wing."

"But someone else did. So we take it easy. We've been trying out new things with her. Training has gotten harder on everyone, I'm not surprised that it hurt this morning."

Astrid twisted her mouth and huffed. "What if that happened when I was alone?"

There was a tense silence as the couple thought of it. Hiccup blocked the image of Stormfly and Astrid drowning, or worse, one of them drowning and the survivor living without the other.

"That's not going to happen, Astrid."

She nodded against the side of his face and relaxed a little. Hiccup tightened his arms around her and closed his eyes. He was so relieved he was there; Astrid was the type to try to save herself. Usually she was more than capable, but alone over the ocean with a downed dragon struggling in the freezing waves far away from any sort of shore…

"Toothless seems to like his new tail," Astrid mused.

Hiccup shook off his worry and looked over. "Yeah… the fireproofing worked, so that's a step. And the new leg is, too."

His new foot gleamed in the firelight as he looked down at it. It had to be completely redone to make up for his final growth spurt, making it twice as long as his very first leg. And this one secured to his leg firmly. He felt it controlled Toothless' tail a lot easier, and that was the main point.

"I wanna see!" a shrill voice laughed from the bottom of the stairs. Hiccup and Astrid both jumped. Astrid cursed under her breath as her shoulder throbbed from moving. Snowdrop, Astrid's younger sister, stood at the bottom of the stairs in her furs. Her blonde hair was tangled hilariously over her blue eyes and she was missing another tooth. She bounced up and down and scurried over to the pair. Hiccup made it to his feet from behind Astrid and caught her. She squealed as he spun her around, roaring like a dragon.

"Look out, it's a Ferocious Snowdrop!" Hiccup gasped. He brought her down and tickled her before she laughed too hard to breathe. "Good morning!"

"I wanna see your new leg, Hup!"

Snowdrop was only three and smart for her age, but she couldn't pronounce Hiccup's name quite yet. But Hiccup showed her and she laughed when she poked it.

"You ready?" she asked excitedly to both Astrid and Hiccup. "I wanna go!"

"That's why I'm here! I'm going to take you to the Academy myself," Hiccup smiled. "Astrid will catch up with us later."

"Can I ride Toofless?!" she gasped. She held onto Hiccup's neck and she squeezed him with all her might. "Please, Hup! Pleeeeeease?"

Hiccup looked over her shoulder to Astrid, who looked back at him. The corner of her mouth curled up and she rolled her eyes. "Only if you tie your hair."

It wasn't Astrid who did that for her, but Hiccup, who even with his architectural hands, couldn't brush hair worth spit. But eventually, Snowdrop was bundled up in her furs safe and tight and clambered onto Toothless. Hiccup secured himself behind her and he nodded at Astrid, who was standing and slowly rolling her shoulder back and forth. She would be fine in a couple of hours.

Toothless walked gently out of the Hofferson house and the door shut behind them. Then Hiccup leaned over Snowdrop, who wrapped her tiny hands around the saddle, and Toothless charged up the square before rising into the sky. Their next stop: the Academy.


	2. His Answer

**Chapter Two: His Answer**

The list of things Hiccup couldn't do versus the things he could were certainly unbalanced. It seemed like whenever he found something he was good at, three things he was horrible at popped up out of nowhere.

The new Dragonling Class was underway, which meant all of Berk's young folk gathered in the Academy arena to learn everything about dragons. Hiccup was certainly the most knowledgeable about training dragons. The only thing: Hiccup wasn't a very good babysitter. About a dozen children ran about the arena and Hiccup, Snotlout, and the twins raced about trying to keep them from getting hurt.

"Dragonbreath!" Snotlout yelled at a young boy hanging off Hookfang's horns. "Don't touch that!"

Ruffnut and Tuffnut raced after Barf and Belch, who were under the command of two young girls. "Don't spark, don't spark!" Ruffnut yelled. Of course, the twins weren't entirely adept at training their dragon, so Barf and Belch did the opposite. They set the twins on fire, and they ran about blaming each other and dove into a trough nearby.

Hiccup meanwhile was laying on the ground under a heard of hungry Terrible Terrors, who nipped at his leather flying suit trying to find fish. Most of the kids crowded around him squealing in laughter as he picked himself up and opened a barrel of fish for the Terrors to terrorize. He brushed himself off and ran after the Hideous Zippleback to retrieve the two girls from their necks.

He calmed the dragon and pulled the girls off, sending them to the other children.

Finally, Hiccup managed to gather the last child, ushered them to the group, and put his hands on his hips.

"Dragons," he scolded, "are dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. We're putting the big boys away now."

The children all moaned in disappointment as the dragons sat at the side.

"Now, we will get to those dragons when you are older," Hiccup sighed, "but we are starting with the dragon book."

"But dragons!" Snowdrop pouted. Some other kids agreed. Hiccup put up his hands.

"If you guys promise to remember everything in this book, then we will get you your very own dragons."

That seemed to make the kids happy, even a little.

"Now," he began with the twins limping behind him and Snotlout not paying attention, "who can tell me what a Monstrous Nightmare is?"

* * *

The class continued for a time before Astrid caught up with him. Fishlegs was still with Stormfly and Gobber, and they didn't have anything to say to her. They chose to keep Stormfly for the morning and when Astrid finally made it to the arena, the children were at it again.

"Don't touch him there, he won't like that!"

"Don't feed him that!"

"Get it off me!"

"Don't step in that!"

"What did I just say?!"

"Thor, grant me the strength to not kill a child today."

Astrid entered the arena and ducked under flying helmets and dodged squealing children. Then she remembered that dodging children isn't usually a common thing, and she realized they were holding onto Barf and Belch's tail, whirling about laughing and having fun. Hiccup was tied up in the corner and Ruffnut and Tuffnut were lying in opposite corners of the arena. Snotlout was hanging off the chain roof of the arena, calling for help.

"ENOUGH!" Astrid yelled. Everyone froze and the children immediately released the dragon and got into a group. She pointed at Hiccup. "All of you. Go untie Hiccup and get the twins before I make Stormfly eat you."

The children scurried away and Astrid tried her very hardest not to laugh as they shoved Hiccup onto his face to get to the knots they tied. She was proud; she taught them how to do that. And the fact they used it on Hiccup was perfect. Hiccup was freed soon enough and the twins were pulled to their feet. Snotlout meanwhile dropped from the roof onto Hookfang's back.

"Now that's settled," Astrid huffed, "let's get some steam out of our systems in a better way."

The kids loved Astrid. She kicked ass, encouraged them to do the same, and they looked up to her as a dragon rider and teacher. "Berk has been at peace for four years. Since Alvin the Treacherous poisoned our river and raided the village, we ran him out and haven't heard of him since. But that doesn't mean he's not going to try to attack once more; he wants our dragons, and our trainers. We have to make sure he never does that."

The kids nodded. Hiccup was behind all of them, smiling at Astrid, knowing her parents were victims to those separate events, and her strength was admirable. "So if anyone attacks, we fight back. Snotlout and Tuff, go for it. Show the Dragonlings what to do."

When they were younger, in the days of dragon fighting and not riding, Astrid was the only one who seemed to know how to work a shield properly. Since then, since the last Outcast attack, everyone improved with their dragons. It was how Snotlout met his wife and how Ruffnut saved her brother from capture. They had their favourite weapons, their favourite styles, and their own determination. Looking back, they all improved.

Snotlout and Tuffnut readied themselves and looked to Astrid for instruction. "Okay kids, choose their weapons."

Within a few minutes after a bout of laughter, Snotlout ended up with a spoon and Tuffnut had a pair of undies. They looked at the kids absolutely unamused.

So they began to spar. Snotlout threw himself at Tuffnut and knocked him to the ground, but Tuffnut rolled away to avoid getting crushed (Snotlout was still quite broad in the shoulders and Tuffnut hadn't filled out his own) and Tuffnut kicked him away. He threw the undies at Snotlout's face, who flailed around and distracted, Tuffnut shoved him over.

But Snotlout rolled back and the kids cheered as he leapt onto Tuffnut, brandishing his mighty spoon and almost gauging it into the twin's eyeball.

"Well done!" Astrid said. The men untangled themselves and shook hands before Snotlout punched Tuffnut across the face. All for good Viking sport. The kids giggled and Ruffnut held her brother back from fighting again. "Always use what you have around you. Never think it couldn't be a weapon. Give me something."

They gave her a hatchet. Hiccup gave out an annoyed sound. If there was anything Astrid didn't need any improvement on, it was using an axe. And she was staring right at him, hatchet in hand, her eyes narrowed. "Hiccup?"

The dragon rider looked at the kids, who all gawked at him. The famous Hiccup Haddock Horrendous III facing off the famous Astrid Hofferson without their dragons. Even the other adults looked at each other in amusement. They all knew how the couple acted around each other. In her younger days, Astrid had no problem with punching Hiccup and kissing him full on the mouth immediately afterwards. They thought Astrid was doing this to get closer to him. Hiccup knew this was payback for making fun of her for not being able to open her door. He wasn't looking forward to it.

Hiccup looked to the kids and waited for them to give him a weapon. Ruffnut was next to him, grabbing a handful of ball-rope. The kids murmured to each other, their eyes sparkling with mischief. They all pointed to Hiccup's foot.

"A weapon," Hiccup repeated. "I need my foot."

"Astrid said you could use anything as a weapon," Snotlout's son, Swamplout, challenged. Astrid nodded and grinned at Hiccup. Ruffnut readied herself from faraway and began to swing the iron balls around her head.

"Go!"

Astrid swung the hatchet by Hiccup's head, barely grazing his partially braided hair. He wrenched himself out of the way and stumbled back. Ruffnut flung her ball-rope towards Astrid, who arched her back to avoid getting hit. She spun around, crouched low to the stone, and knocked Hiccup's metal leg out from under him.

"Always go for their weakest point!" she instructed as she brought the axe down beside Hiccup's head. He kicked her out of the way, a lot harder than he initially intended, and grabbed his foot. He unbuckled the securing strap and hauled it from his leg, raising it just in time to block Astrid's weapon. They clang together and Hiccup twisted the metal leg to pull the hatchet from Astrid's grip. She held firm and they rolled over and over.

Ruffnut threw another set of ball-rope. It cracked Hiccup on the side of the head and he saw stars for a moment before Astrid rolled him over, twisted his arm back, and raised her hatchet. The fight was won.

The kids bounced up and down in anxious excitement as Astrid let Hiccup go and laughed breathlessly. Hiccup held the side of his head and groaned. He pulled his hand back and found blood on his fingers. Only Astrid saw the tinge of red, the grimace of pain, before Hiccup looked up, smiled, and shook her hand with his other. He looked over to Ruffnut and scoffed. "You were supposed to hit her!"

"I _did_ hit her!" Ruffnut protested.

"No, you hit _me_!"

"Oh, whoops. You two look alike."

Everyone stared at her for a moment. Tuffnut was the only one who agreed with her, surprisingly enough.

The kids giggled and Astrid looked away. Hiccup had a small trickle of blood drip in front of his ear. He brushed it away, smearing it back into his hair line. Astrid frowned as he refastened his foot back to his leg. She pulled him aside.

"Hiccup?"

Hiccup raised his eyebrows, as if he didn't know he was hurt. He smiled. "Got me again."

"You're bleeding."

"I'm a Viking, aren't I? I'm bound to bleed once in a while."

Astrid pulled him back and frowned at him. "Your _head is bleeding_."

Hiccup pulled away and looked to the kids. "Hide and seek! You have three minutes to hide anywhere in the arena."

The kids all scampered off. Ruffnut and Tuffnut and Snotlout pretended to count, really talking to each other about food and women. Hiccup looked down at Astrid, lips pursed.

"You're not going to let this go."

Astrid raised her hand to check it herself. He grabbed her wrist. She flipped her hand around, grabbed his own wrist, twisted his arm back, and spun his body around.

"Ow! Owowowowow! Astrid!" he gasped as she pushed his arm up. She used her other hand to touch his hair. It was wet. Probably looked worse than it actually was, but she couldn't help but worry. Hiccup, with surprising strength, bowed suddenly and made Astrid fly over his body onto her back. She lost her breath but rolled over and growled. The others looked at them with amused grins. They threw punches at each other.

Tuffnut leaned over to Snotlout and laughed. "When's the wedding, you think?" he asked jokingly.

"As if," Ruffnut snorted. "Remember all those years ago, when that fisherman attacked her in the woods? No marriage for her."

"You don't actually believe that, do you?" Tuffnut griped.

Ruffnut nodded and glared. "I do, actually. What's the big deal?"

Tuffnut hit a nerve and he knew it. "Never mind."

"What, so you mean that she was invincible? That it was impossible for it to happen to her?"

"I said never mind, Ruff," Tuffnut growled. "I didn't mean to bring it up."

That didn't stop Ruffnut from picking up a staff and jabbing it into his stomach with all her might. "If it can happen to me, it can happen to her, so shut up."

Tuffnut leapt to his feet and the siblings fought beside Astrid and Hiccup. Snotlout looked to the sky and furrowed his eyebrows. But no one else noticed.

"Guys," he called, not taking his eyes off the sky. "Guys!" he repeated with more demand in his voice. Astrid slammed Hiccup down on the ground and pinned his shoulders back. Ruffnut had Tuffnut in a headlock and she was banging a club into his helmet over and over. "GUYS!" Snotlout screamed.

Lightning crashed across the sky, the clouds dark and sinister. Loud growling echoed from above. Astrid looked up and jumped off Hiccup. "Storm…" she whispered. "Storm!"

Ruffnut and Tuffnut stopped fighting. "I'll get the kids!" they said at the same time.

Hiccup made it to his feet quickly. "That's not a storm… That's a Skrill…"

Everyone took a moment to look at him in horror. A Skrill. That meant deadly trouble. One of the few dragons Hiccup hadn't gotten close enough to train, and that was because it set its skin alight with fatal lightning bolts. And the past few times a possible thunderstorm was on Berk's doorstep, a Skrill would push it to a catastrophe.

Just as he thought that, another bolt of lightning struck into the village. Smoke billowed up and the town bell began to ring.

"Do a head count, get the kids back to the Great Hall!" he yelled. "Astrid, we need to get to the village. If that Skrill lights any of the houses on fire, someone needs to put them out."

"But Snowdrop – "

"We'll deal with her," Snotlout said, pulling kids close to him. "Go."

Toothless bounded up to Hiccup, eyes in scared slits. He jumped onto his back and pulled Astrid behind him. She held onto him as Hiccup went racing out of the arena and into the sky.

When they made it to Berk, just over the fields, a large house was on fire. Astrid tightened her grip on Hiccup; it was her house. Toothless flew down and grabbed a wheelbarrow full of water, and threw it into the smouldering house. The flames almost went out.

Houses getting destroyed was not uncommon in Berk, but that didn't make the realization that her house was on fire any easier for Astrid. So far, it was just the roof.

Rain poured from the sky as if Thor poured a godly bucket down, getting everyone soaked within a few seconds. The wind knocked people off their feet and Toothless had to steady himself.

Hiccup's father was in the main square with his Thunderdrum Thornado whimpering, looking up at the sky. Toothless touched down in front of Stoick the Vast and Hiccup called over the wind.

"There's a Skrill on his way!" he yelled. "We need to get everyone into the Great Hall!"

"Working on it!" Stoick yelled. Already, many villagers were running up the many steps to the Great Hall, and in the distance, Hiccup could see Barf and Belch, and Hookfang carrying the children inside. He calmed a little knowing they were okay.

"Stormfly!" Astrid yelled. She leapt off Toothless and landed on the ground, running for the forge where Gobber was.

"Astrid!" Hiccup. He pulled Toothless around and they began to run after her, the wind too strong to fly. "It's too dangerous!"

And as he said it, the Skrill flew from the clouds and swooped over his head, screaming a terrifying scream that made Stoick duck under Thornado's wing. Astrid kept running and Stormfly ran from around the house. The Skrill saw the wounded Nadder and screamed again, more lightning shooting down. A bolt landed on the forge, and Astrid flew back.

"Astrid!" Hiccup yelled.

He caught up to her fallen body; the Skrill disappeared into the clouds. She was already back on her feet, her face bleeding and her body shaken. Stormfly let her climb up and the two of them ran their dragons for the Great Hall. They were the last ones to finally enter before Stoick and Gobber shoved the doors shut. Stormfly croaked and cooed and Astrid jumped down. Hiccup was beside her and he grabbed onto her.

Her face had been cut, a small cut to the forehead and the neck, and they bled a lot more than he thought they would. He pressed a hand to her neck and she held a hand to her head as the two of them made their way to the back of the hall, where Gothi and the children were supposed to be. The village made way for the pair of them.

Snotlout was counting the kids again as Gothi waddled up to Astrid. She knelt in front of the healer and she pressed a bandage to her neck to stop the bleeding. She would be fine, she knew that, but Astrid wasn't worried about that. She looked at all the children and Hiccup did the same. But Hiccup did not notice what Astrid did.

"Snowdrop," she said harshly, looking at Snotlout. "Where is Snowdrop?"

"I had her with me at the arena," Snotlout began to say. Astrid tore away from Gothi and violently put her hands on Snotlout's collar.

"_Where is my sister_?!" she shrieked. Hiccup grabbed her and ripped her away from Snotlout. Ruffnut and Tuffnut met with them.

"I can't find her, either," Tuffnut said.

Astrid put her hand to her neck again, grimacing. "She's still hiding. Hide and seek, oh for the love of Odin, I need to get her!"

Stoick had overheard her and rested a hand on her back. "The doors are shut. No one goes out in this weather. Not with a Skrill on the loose. You know the rules."

"But it's my sister!" Astrid screamed. "She's going to die unless I get to her!"

"Dad, Snowdrop is all alone in a metal-encased arena. And in this rain, she'll freeze," Hiccup desperately tried to explain.

"I know, son," Stoick said painfully, yet officially. "But I can't send anyone out. Not now. I can't risk the lives of anyone else."

"I will go, I will get her!" Astrid tried to say.

"You will do no such thing!" Stoick ordered. "You are hurt, and to go out there is suicide. The answer is no."

"That may be your answer," Hiccup said, "but it's not mine."

He turned and ran through the crowd back to the doors before Stoick could grab him. He wrenched open the door and ran out, Toothless hot on his heels.

The first thing he felt was the freezing rain. It had gotten even colder, each drop like a small arrow of ice. Toothless groaned and winced against the cold. The sea in the distance crashed against the cliffs and pillars like fists of water. The roar of the Skrill sounded again.

"Let's go, bud!" Hiccup yelled, jumping onto the Night Fury and the pair lurching forward. Toothless' job was to find the right position in the wind to fly properly while Hiccup met that demand with steering his tail. Toothless opened his wings and scooped them upwards into the wind. Hiccup resisted to urge to choke in the cold as Toothless wildly flew for the arena, the dragon intelligent to know something was still there.

The chains of the arena attracted the Skrill with a delicious curiosity. It hovered over the arena. It swooped down and threatened to make its lightning dance along the metal before Hiccup cried out. "Now!"

Toothless fired his plasma shot at the Skrill, hitting it in the face and deflecting his shot. The Skrill couldn't see through the rain and thank the gods Toothless was tiny enough to slip into the arena without the huge dragon seeing. Hiccup landed, his thin body thrashed around by the roaring wind and knocking him to a knee. He glared through the water that dripped into his eyes and Toothless growled at the sky.

"Snowdrop!" Hiccup yelled. He could barely see two feet in front of him. Toothless fanned out a wing to shield his rider from the bitter iciness raining from above. The stone ground beneath them vibrated when Toothless rumbled angrily at the sky. They only had a moment to find Snowdrop.

Hiccup raised his arms over his eyes. He struggled to the other end of the arena, his boot sloshing and his metal leg slipping around. He made it to the other side and was relieved beyond reason to hear Snowdrop wailing behind the weapons cart. He shoved it aside and found her cold and wet, clutching onto a Terrible Terror, who was equally as scared.

He made a move to grab onto her, but the metal chains snapped off the roof and flew into nothingness. The Skrill landed on the wall and roared into the arena. Snowdrop shrieked and Toothless flailed back, wings unfurled and teeth gleaming with every flash of lightning. A claw came down and swiped at Hiccup, who used his body to shield Snowdrop as much as he could. He felt the leather of his suit slice open like butter but felt no pain, thank the gods. Toothless fired at the Skrill again and again, the two dragons facing off with lightning as much as they could.

Hiccup scooped Astrid's sister up and held her close. She was still screaming. He didn't know if she had been hurt, but so long as she made sound, it meant she was alive. But she wouldn't last long in this cold. Neither would Hiccup. Snowdrop clutched onto his soaked leather riding suit. He pried her from him and planted her in Toothless' saddle.

"Go, Toothless!" Hiccup cried. "Get her out of here!"

Toothless looked at him and shook his head. He wouldn't leave Hiccup. The Skrill roared again and Hiccup's hair stood on end. Time slowed down and lightning danced across the sky, arced down onto the Skrill's trembling body, and flickered along the metal frame of the arena. Light blinded Hiccup and a surge of pain and power shot up from his leg into his heart. He almost fainted, but Toothless was next to him. He fell against him and found the will to climb up and into the saddle behind Snowdrop. Toothless bounded out of the arena and flew with the wind away from the Skrill, who flew back into the sky.

His heart hurt. His body tingled and he couldn't feel his leg. He could barely work the tail and they almost crashed into the Great Hall. Toothless opened the door with his teeth and slipped inside to the people of Berk.

Hiccup slid off Toothless first among the yelling townsfolk, trying to grit his teeth. He weakly pulled Snowdrop down and limped through them. Many people gave him a wide berth, eyes wide. He saw Astrid at the end of the hall elbowing through her fellow Vikings.

"Snowdrop!" she sobbed. Snowdrop pulled from Hiccup and ran into Astrid's arms. Hiccup never saw Astrid cry so hard as when that tiny body smashed into her, shivering and blubbering. She looked her up and down and pulled off her furs to wrap around her sibling, picking her up and cradling her. The crowd cheered and praised Hiccup for his bravery.

Stoick had his fist on his hips. He gave him a terse nod as if to say he wasn't happy, but he was proud all at once. Hiccup smiled and found a pillar to lean on, his head throbbing too hard to focus anymore. Gothi took Snowdrop from her with the help of her matrons while Astrid ran over to Hiccup and grabbed him, sobbing against his chilled skin.

"Thank you, thank you so much," she cried. She pulled back and kissed Hiccup on the mouth.

In any other circumstance, Hiccup would have reacted, even kissed her back. Instead he fell against her, groaning and eyes rolling back. He couldn't breathe and he pressed a hand to his side. Toothless roared.

"Hiccup!" Astrid gasped. She helped him to the floor and lifted his chin to see his face losing colour morbidly fast. "No, no no no, look at me!"

He tried to smile, to let her know he was fine. Toothless was behind Hiccup and pulled his body against him. Astrid immediately saw the blood on his flying suit along with a horrific gash that wrapped around his ribs down to his stomach. She frantically unbuckled and untied the suit, wrenching it free. Stoick shoved through the crowd and Gobber yelled for the healers. Astrid pulled the leather away and blood spurted forth onto her furs. She cried out and slammed her hands to it, desperate to stanch the flow. Toothless whined.

And along his chest, webbing up like tiny lightning bolts were furious red markings. An elder gasped into her hand. "He has been blessed by Thor."

Hiccup grimaced in pain and began to shiver. He pressed his hand over Astrid's and looked up at her. "Is Snowdrop okay?" he asked feebly. Astrid didn't seem to want to talk about it, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Astrid? Is… Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Astrid choked. "Keep your eyes on me."

"That's n-not v-very hard t-to do," he breathed. He coughed and Astrid pressed harder against his ribs. He choked and Toothless seemed to coo and chirp beneath him. Everything went quiet to Hiccup and he kept his hand on Astrid's while the healers brought a red hot iron over. Hiccup took one look at the tool and praised the gods that he fainted before he found out what they'd use it for.


	3. Rough Hands and Gentle Touch

_TheBabeLebowski: Thank you to those who have read, favourited, and followed this story, as well as those who took the time to review. It means a lot to me. :)_

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**Chapter Three: Rough Hands and Gentle Touch**

Astrid wasn't one who was especially wealthy. She had few items to trade here and there, but beyond that, she didn't have much to offer. So when Gothi took her and Snowdrop in after the Skrill set their house on fire, she went to work to help. It didn't mean she was very good at it. She was good at chopping wood, riding Stormfly with tact and precision, and brutalizing Vikings who wronged her. When she was fourteen, she took out her anger on trees by smashing a hand-axe into it repeatedly; now, six winters later, she could do far worse with a sharpened weapon.

But when it came to working for Gothi, she had to pull on a more comforting stature. Beating things to death had to be replaced by tenderness and comforting words. She began to get the knack of it when her father died. With her mother, she had to hunt not only for herself, but for a child. And when her mother was captured and killed, it left Astrid with Snowdrop and a huge pile of learning things over. She was growing used to being a motherly figure to Snowdrop. Being caring and tender and gentle for someone else was a different type of dragon all together.

Astrid crept into the chief's house as quietly as she could. She closed the door behind her and looked to the fire where Stoick and Gobber sat, discussing politics. They looked up at Astrid with thankful expressions and waved her over. She approached carefully and let Stoick envelope her hands with his. She looked around awkwardly, not entirely sure if she was allowed to look right at him.

"Thank you for all your help," he said gruffly. "I trust your sister is fairing a bit better?"

Astrid nodded and smiled tiredly. "She is. She's staying with Gothi until she can shake the cold, but she is getting stronger every day."

Stoick nodded and motioned to the staircase. She took her leave and let the men resume their conversation. She climbed the steps and entered Hiccup's room. He lay in his bed while Toothless sat across from him on his dragon pad. He looked up, dragon fins back and eyes in slits, teeth bared. Astrid put up a hand and he immediately calmed. His eyes went wide and his fins perked up.

It was warm in Hiccup's loft. Toothless hadn't gone outside unless he needed to relieve himself so the mixture of a hot fire and Toothless' body heat made it almost overwhelmingly stifling. Astrid unclipped her fur hood and her cloak (it had snowed lightly that morning) and draped them over the chair by his bedside. Soon, she was in her riding gear. It was a simple leather suit that mimicked Hiccup's with some Astrid adjustments worked into it. While Hiccup loved having red marking on his clothing, she opted for blue. And she kept her pauldrons. Her father made them. She turned out to be quite sentimental about many things after her parents left; she didn't dare admit that to anyone else and no one brought it up with her.

Free from her winter clothing, she stared at Hiccup and bit her lip. She wasn't entirely sure where to start. He was pale and sweating, his hair stuck to his forehead and his breaths calm and deep. Gothi's matrons gave her a bag to take with her when she came, and it was full of poultices in vials, dressings, and a needle with sinew. She hoped that wouldn't be needed when she remembered it was in her bag. But she also told them she didn't have to be the one to assist with Hiccup. The matrons merely chuckled with one another, gave her a grin, and shoved her out the door. They certainly weren't modest.

"We saw you kissing him in the Great Hall!" one had laughed.

"Because he saved my sister. I would have kissed anyone who did that," Astrid had growled.

The matron in question snorted and rolled her eyes and readjusted Astrid's furs around her chest before she was sent out. Astrid made sure to mess them up afterwards; she wasn't for the primping and preening her Nadder was used to. This was a serious job, not one for flirting and courtship. Besides, what was the point? Astrid was promised to someone else until she was ready. As if.

She hovered her hands over Hiccup's sleeping body and hesitated. This felt weird. Invasive. She almost wanted to punch herself into sensibility. She pulled the blankets from Hiccup and felt even more awkward and warm when she found him not wearing as much on his body as she was used to. His riding suit, slashed apart by the Skrill, was gone and being repaired by Gobber. Bandages wrapped around his torso over and over, showing off his chest and shoulders.

She felt her chest throb painfully and she gritted her teeth. Along his bare chest were the sharp thin lines of lightning scars. She knew what she had to do: replace his bandages, do the routine the matrons instructed her to do, and leave him be.

The only thing was she wasn't sure how to move him. She reluctantly reached for his shoulders and rested a hand on his neck. She wriggled her other hand beneath his shoulders. She cringed. He was sweating like a Terror facing a Changewing. She was close to his face and she tried to keep her head far away enough to keep the strands of her loose braid from falling into his slightly open mouth.

Toothless made it to his legs and scampered over as Astrid tried to pull Hiccup up. He nudged his owner's head until it was over him and he lifted his master up gently. Now that Hiccup was sitting up more or less against his dragon, Astrid could replace his bandages. She sawed through them with a small knife after looking to Toothless to reassure him that she wasn't going to stab him. The bandages wrapped around his chest and she pulled them free. Toothless wrinkled his nose at the sight and Astrid sighed with distortion, like a breath taken after seeing something you didn't particularly want to see.

The cut was healing nicely, but it didn't look pretty. It started in the middle of his back and wrapped around his ribs to end around the front. The gash had been burned shut and pressed with a poultice of some kind, which Astrid also replaced. She didn't like pulling everything from the cut; it showed her how injured he was. She wasn't sure how Hiccup let himself get hurt like that. He never turned his back on dragons, never.

The skin around the cut was red and she dabbed at it with a cold cloth. She looked up at Toothless, held out a hand, and the dragon licked her palm grossly. She ran her hand over the cut and the redness went down under the sheen of Night Fury spit. She rewrapped his torso and chest and Toothless eased him back down. She washed her hands and looked to the Night Fury, who sniffed his owner's face and cooed as he wandered back to his dragon pad.

Astrid sat in her chair next to Hiccup and looked at him with worry. Her job was done but she didn't want to leave just yet. Hiccup's scars, the gash and the lightning marks, were all from him saving Snowdrop. She wasn't sure how… Hiccup wouldn't have let this happen to himself easily.

"You have to wake up sooner or later," she huffed. She only hoped that was true. Every day, she would wake up and be terrified to hear that he passed and would be cast into the ocean. Thankfully, no Viking funerals had been planned for brave Hiccup.

Astrid brushed his hair back with one of her calloused hands and she cupped his cheek.

"Hiccup," she began quietly. She ran her down to one of his hands. She held it gently as if to comfort herself more than him. She took a moment to feel comfortable before opening her mouth to speak, closing it, and opening it once more.

"Snowdrop is okay," she forced. "Sick, but that's normal for a child out in the freezing rain, right? Gothi says she'll be fine. And we're getting a new roof on our house, which is good. I mean, good because I don't have one anymore. The dragons have been taking turns using their wings to keep it from flooding. It's amazing…

"Stormfly is okay, too. Gobber found a salve to ease her wing cramps. I can fly her around the island and it seems to be working but… I'm not pushing her right now. And you should see the others. Snotlout had to send for his wife at the Academy yesterday because the kids somehow tied Tuffnut to the new ceiling. I think Ruffnut and Fishlegs helped a bit, but I was impressed. One of the kids told me to tell you to wake up before he asks Thor to do it for you, too."

She laughed lightly but it didn't improve her mood much. She wanted him to wake up. She stared at his face again and had a private realization. She stood up and looked to the stairs again before looking back to Hiccup. She ran her fingers into his hair gently, using her fingers to work along his scalp when she found the small bump Ruffnut had cracked when she tossed the ball-rope.

Crouching next to him, Astrid parted his hair to see the cut. It was small and healed over. She covered it with her palm, and used her other to move Hiccup's head slightly. She leaned over him, close to his face, and listened to him breathe for a minute. It was a lovely sound, the sound of someone living and recovering. The sound of silence was the most horrible sound when it came to injuries. Astrid used to sit next to Snowdrop's cot to listen to her breathe and murmur in her sleep to remind herself she still had her.

Hiccup's soft breath brushed along her face and she breathed him in, just to feel his life against her to reassure her for a single moment, keeping her hopeful that he would wake up.

* * *

Gothi nodded to Astrid when she came back. She set her bag down and put her furs away before she went to Snowdrop, who was sitting up in bed being fed her soup. She squeaked at the sight of her sister, then coughed loudly. The matron left with the soup while Snowdrop reached forward for a hug.

"Hello, my tiny dragon," Astrid said happily. "How are you?"

"Good!" she wheezed. "I almost finished my soup!"

Astrid smiled widely and poked Snowdrop's nose. "That's how you're going to be strong and train your very own dragon!"

Juniper, a younger matron, approached Astrid and checked in with her for a moment about Hiccup. Snowdrop gasped and tried to jump up. Astrid had to grab onto her before she fell out of the bed. "Hup!" she cried. "Hup!"

"Hush, hush," Astrid said. "Hiccup is alright. He's sleeping."

"He got an owie…" Snowdrop said sadly. "I saw it."

Astrid frowned and looked up at Juniper, who listened intently. Lifting her sister up, Astrid sat on the bed with her back against the wall and Snowdrop cradled in her arms. "How, Snowdrop? Can you tell me how he got hurt? So we can make him better?"

With this new task, Snowdrop nodded and thought for a moment, obviously scared of the Skrill that had attacked them. "I was cold. Like, really cold. It was wet and I was playing hide and seek and then I was all alone. And then this big dragon came up and lit the sky on fire!"

Astrid flinched slightly but kept her arms around Snowdrop's tiny body. "And then?"

"I was hiding behind the cart with all the swords and Hup pushed it over. Then the Skrill ripped away the roof, the one we usually make Snotlout hang off of when we're bored."

Her older sister nodded and hid the fact that her heart was racing. "That dragon roared really loud and Hup like… made a little fort over me… like this."

Snowdrop clambered up and reached over Astrid head, putting her petite hands against the stone wall and straddling her as best as her short legs would allow.

"See? Like a little fort."

Astrid reminded herself to breathe. Hiccup turned his back to the Skrill to shield Snowdrop. He had used his entire body to protect her.

"Then he put me on Toofless, and there was a bright light and he began to shake around. His body was covered in light like the dragon and he fell against Toofless and we left. Then I came back and I missed you so much, Astrid, did you miss me?"

Snowdrop grabbed Astrid's face and squished her cheeks. Tears threatened to roll down her cheeks and she held onto Snowdrop, burying her face into her tiny shoulder. When she pulled away, she looked to Juniper, who had a hand poised over her mouth in shock.

"I have to tell Stoick," Astrid said shakily. "I think… I need a walk."

Juniper nodded and took Snowdrop, who was growing sleepy. Astrid made her way from the bed, grabbed her furs, and rushed outside, tears threatening to freeze onto her face in the frigid air.

* * *

She knew Stoick was scouting the island with Snotlout and the twins, and Astrid didn't bother looking for him. She went straight back to Hiccup's house, ran through the door, panting from the hills and steps to get to the chief's house. She ran up the stairs and threw her furs off.

She then realized that she had no idea what to do or say or think. She stared at Hiccup, who hadn't moved, and grabbed his hand.

"Why in Thor's name would you do that?!" she cried. "You could have died, you could have been mangled, why would you do that to me?! But Snowdrop… I want to be mad at you and I can't because you saved one of the only things I have left on this stupid island! But you were another one of those things, you foolish, crazy _boy_! I could have lost both of you and now you won't wake up!"

Astrid grabbed onto his face and turned him to face her. "You need to wake up, Hiccup! Please!"

She got quieter as it became harder to breathe. She brought her face down and kissed his forehead. "You need to wake up."

She kissed his nose and his cheeks. "Wake up before I snap you in half, please…"

She kissed his mouth and let her shoulders bob from sobbing quietly. She prayed from him to make a sound, to kiss her back, to shove her off him, to be offended by her words. Nothing. She kissed him again and again as if each little peck would wake him up.

"Please…" Astrid begged.

And a hand ran up her side weakly.


	4. Contracts

_Thank you to those of you who have recently followed, favourited or reviewed this story! I save each and every notification and I am truly honoured. Being new, I also updated my profile if the previous lack of it bugged anybody. _

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**Chapter Four: Contracts**

Astrid felt a hand run up her side gently, a murmur escaping Hiccup's lips as she kissed them tearfully. She didn't expect him to actually wake up, and she pulled away to look at his face. His eyelashes fluttered and he groaned quietly. His hand ran up her leg and over her backside, up her back to the back of her neck. Astrid couldn't move.

"Hiccup?" she breathed. The hand on the back of her neck twitched. She tore away from him, leaping back and feeling very invasive. She wrung her hands as Hiccup's nose wrinkled as his hand flopped back to his bed. Toothless was up in an instant, nuzzling his owner. Hiccup opened his eyes slowly and winced. He breathed deeply and sporadically. He pressed his hand to his side and Astrid remembered the situation. She returned to him and rested her hand on his side. Toothless croaked and tried his hardest to stay off the bed.

"Don't move too much… you're still hurt."

Hiccup looked at her tiredly and squinted. "…Astrid?"

She twisted her face comically. "Yeah, the pretty one who lives down the path, remember me?"

Hiccup looked terribly confused and he stared at the ceiling. Then he began to breathe quickly, eyes going wide. Astrid placed her other hand on his chest. He grabbed her hand and held it.

"Did I lose the other one?" he asked hoarsely. "Gods, tell me I didn't."

Astrid smiled. "You're only missing the one leg, don't worry."

Hiccup sighed and licked his lips. It was hard for him to swallow so Astrid fetched him a mug of water. Toothless wriggled under Hiccup's head and propped him upright again. Astrid handed him the mug and helped him drink. She set the mug down and brushed her hair behind her ears, making sure her face was dry. Hiccup let his eyes shut once more before he let himself remember what happened.

"Snowdrop?" he said quietly.

"She's fine," Astrid replied, keeping her composure (barely).

Hiccup smiled weakly. "I was worried…"

"No need to be, she's alright and so are you."

Hiccup nodded in agreement and scratched Toothless' head as much as he could. Astrid watched his every movement and wasn't sure if she should have left or not. But Hiccup's hand was still over Astrid's and he didn't move it. She wasn't about to draw attention to it. But Hiccup pulled at his blankets. Astrid stopped him from tugging at his bandages.

"Don't, I just replaced those," she said quickly.

Hiccup furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't understand… what happened?"

Astrid bit her lip and looked away. "I'm not sure… but Snowdrop says you covered her and the Skrill's claw snagged you. Sliced through your riding suit like water."

He blinked and looked off. "I didn't even feel it. I mean, I knew it tore open my suit, but it was so fast. I didn't even feel…"

He squeezed Astrid's hand as he remembered more. "I was bleeding. A lot."

"When I took off your suit, it opened up," Astrid said, shuddering down her entire spine. "But it's been burned shut and you should be okay."

"What about you?" he asked quietly. "Are you okay?"

Astrid blinked and looked around, confused. "I'm not the one who got fileted by a lightning lizard."

Hiccup picked up his hand and ran his thumb over her forehead gently. "You hurt your head. And your neck." He brought his fingers down to pull her collar away to see her bandages. Astrid grabbed his hand again and pulled it away.

"I'm fine. Really."

Hiccup relaxed a little. "That's really good. I'm glad."

Astrid nodded. There was an awkward silence as Toothless let his master lie back down. He curled up next to the bed as Hiccup pursed his lips.

"I can feel where that wound is," he said. "I probably won't be able to ride for a time."

"Good idea."

Hiccup turned to her and stared at her. She looked away and wasn't sure what he was looking at her for. He glared at her for a second before squeezing her hand. "I didn't mean to scare you, you know."

Astrid breathed deeply. "I know."

"I wasn't going to leave her out there."

"I know."

"I wasn't going to come back without her."

"…I know."

Hiccup reached over and pulled her to him for a hug. She rested his cheek against his chest and trembled. "I'm really glad you did, though."

Hiccup chuckled. "Me too."

He tilted her face so she was hovering over him. He smiled and cupped the back of her neck. He ran a thumb over her cheek and grinned as best he could with all the pain and stress his body was revealing to him. They touched foreheads and breathed for a moment, simultaneously. Hiccup gave her neck a little pull and their lips gently touched.

Astrid felt Hiccup kiss her this time, and she kissed him with as much tenderness and fragility as he gave her. It was as if he could shatter beneath her, and when she thought he would pull back and keep it at that innocent level they had kept it at for six years, he held onto her and kissed her again. He didn't kiss her hard, quite the contrary. But he kissed her and for once tasted her lips and let her taste his. It was new ground, new feelings, and Astrid let her eyes close and the two of them held each other. Astrid kept her body off his, but let herself give in to his gentleness, his tired care, before she pulled away gently and they looked into each other's eyes.

"This is where you rip me in half for being too bold," he said jokingly.

"Gimme a minute, I'm deciding on your fate as we speak."

Hiccup smiled again. "I thought I'd give it a try. It's nice."

Astrid smiled with a tinge of pain; it _was_ nice. But nothing could come from it.

* * *

Word spread around Berk that Hiccup was awake. Stoick and Gobber held a meeting at the Great Hall to announce his favouring health and Stoick returned to the house. He clambered up the staircase and found Hiccup in the loft lying in bed looking out the dragon-door in the roof at the setting sun.

Stoick wanted to cross that room and crush his son in an embrace. Instead, he put his fists on his hips.

"My son," Stoick gruffed. "You disobeyed me."

Hiccup looked up and twisted his mouth. But for once, he did not look away from his father's intense stare.

"You could have been killed!" Stoick gushed angrily.

"Snowdrop had a higher chance of dying from the cold, or worse," Hiccup retorted timidly.

"But as your father and your chief, I told you not to go!"

"I know you would have rather kept me safe, dad," Hiccup began, "but if I was her age stuck out in the cold, you would have wasted no time getting to me. You would have killed anything and anyone to save me. I was only following an example."

Stoick pursed his lips under his magnificent beard. He sat down loudly and glared at his son, who stared back, trying to not overstep the glaring to a point where Stoick would toss him out the dragon-door.

He huffed loudly, sighing his massive shoulders in a way Hiccup was unused to. "If it were you… I would have fought for you just the same. But I almost lost you. _Again_. Without your mother, and without anyone else who shares my blood left on this island, I can't help but be overbearingly protective of you, you sodding fool."

Hiccup nodded and looked into the distance. There was a moment of silence before Stoick leaned forward.

"You do me proud, son. It would help if stopped risking your own skin to do that."

Hiccup turned back and grinned lopsidedly. "And how else would I get you to notice me?"

He didn't expect him to say anything to that. His grin slowly faded when he noticed Stoick staring at him with an answer on the tip of his tongue. It made Hiccup sit up a little straighter, suddenly apprehensive.

"…I meant that to be rhetorical."

"It's not going to be," Stoick replied bluntly. "I almost lost you. I watched you bleed all over the Great Hall with that gods-forsaken grin plastered on your face as if you weren't dying. Berk has been at peace for four years since the last raid, but that doesn't mean that we are completely safe. Alvin may send more Outcasts, or another dragon that even you don't understand may kill someone."

"That's not going to happen."

Stoick growled. "Do not pretend to know the future, Hiccup. If we lost you, I would have nothing. _Nothing_."

His voice cracked and Hiccup's heart throbbed. A lump grew in his throat as his father brushed it off as if it never happened.

"You have always known that when I go to Valhalla, the leadership of Berk rests on you."

He didn't want to hear this. He grew anxious and uncomfortable and he wanted to squirm as his side began to throb from searing pain.

"And then to your children will you pass to them."

"Dad –"

Stoick raised a hand. "You are twenty-one winters old, Hiccup. It's time to consider the inevitable. Your bravery, your courage… you need to get yourself ready to lead. Before she passed, your mother made a scroll with the name of your betrothed for you to open when you were ready."

Hiccup frowned and looked away. "That's just… great."

Stoick gave a hmph. "Did you suspect otherwise?"

He gave a small shrug. "I never really thought of marriage. I guess I never thought you'd arrange something."

"You're the chief's son. Of course you'd be promised to someone. Right when your future wife was born–"

"Don't." Hiccup was surprised by how sharp that sounded. "Don't call her my future wife."

"Shall I call her by her first name?" Stoick asked angrily. "I thought you'd be happy to hear that you'd marry."

Hiccup spat. "I don't want anyone, dad."

"Just because you don't want someone now doesn't mean you won't later," Stoick replied harshly. "This marriage can unite two clans to make us stronger. More economical."

"I'm not a commodity!" his son yelled with some volume he forgot he had. "Why is this so important to you?!"

Stoick blinked and leaned back. "Because… I almost lost you and I… I want to see you move on with your life before something happens to me."

The two men stayed silent. Hiccup banged his head on the headboard in frustration. He dug the balls of his palms into his eyes and sighed heavily. "Who?"

"You're the one who has to open that scroll."

"Just tell me."

"She's from another clan."

Hiccup's hands flew from his eyes and he stared, absolutely shocked. "_What_?! You're serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Stoick said, deadpan. Hiccup clamped his mouth shut and dug his nails into his palms. "You will reveal the name of your bride the day you can walk on your own. Cheer up and be merry!"

Stoick put on a sad attempt at a smile and Hiccup looked away. "You have a bad habit of not listening to what I want."

His father extended his arms in mock defeat. "No use in leaving it be for any longer. You want me to notice you without you putting your neck on the block? Do your mother a favour and open that scroll when you're better. I'd rather a wedding than sewing you back together after another bout of heroics."

He descended the staircase and Hiccup banged his head on the headboard again. He wanted nothing more than to fly out of that house and around the island until his cheeks went numb from the cold. But Stoick returned with a small chest in his hands. He set it on the chair next to Hiccup, opened it, and revealed the scroll with a ribbon tied around it, fastened by a Terror tooth. Hiccup didn't move.

"Open it on your own time, I will send word to all the clans to come. This will be a wonderous occasion, Hiccup. Your mother's only firm wish was to choose for you and even I don't know the answer. You'll do me proud."

He left shortly after and Hiccup stared at the scroll as if it were the Skrill all over. He barely remembered his mother, and now he wanted to take one of the only gifts she had given him in his hands and hurl it into the ocean with an unknown rage that made his chest flutter painfully.


	5. Bloody Lips and Bloody Knuckles

_Thank you to the new followers and reviewers. I am readying for midterms and three plays on my end, so I am sorry if the flow of chapters is not as fast as you would like! I am trying my hardest. Anyhoo! _

* * *

**Chapter Five: Bloody Lips and Bloody Knuckles**

"This isn't good," Fishlegs groaned in the Academy. He put away the weapons from the Dragonlings and looked back to Tuffnut. He and Ruffnut glanced at each other with frowns on their faces. "You're sure?"

"Stoick is sending us out to tell the eastern clans," Ruffnut said with a tinge of disappointment. "This is really happening."

News that Hiccup was betrothed stayed among the messengers being sent out to the other tribes to spread word of the wedding. That meant everyone but Astrid since Stormfly was still recovering, and no one thought it was wise to tell her the one man she was comfortable kissing in public was to marry a woman from another clan. And no one knew who it was. It made it worse.

Fishlegs was to go north, Snotlout south, the twins east, and Stoick forbade western travel towards Outcast Island. Snotlout had already left and told the twins, who told Fishlegs. They prepared to travel from the island, but they weren't happy.

"At least he's okay, hey?" Tuffnut said, falsely chipper.

"Apparently he hasn't eaten in days. The moment he can walk, Stoick's going to announce it to the whole village. I'm not surprised he's trying to _not_ get better."

Fishlegs sighed and scratched Meatlug under her chin. "Let's go, then, girl. Before we run into Astrid."

"And why would that be an issue?" a voice said behind him.

All three of them jumped when Astrid entered the Academy with her bow slung over her chest. She glared at all three of them, arms crossed and eyes narrowed into slits. Fishlegs squeaked and the twins tried to hide behind each other, failing miserably.

"No reason!" Tuffnut squeaked. "Trying to avoid conversation so we can be on time!"

"On time for what?" Astrid growled.

"Something important, duh," Ruffnut snorted. Astrid cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips.

"You're not going to tell me, hmm?" Astrid challenged. Fishlegs looked away and the twins cleared their throats. She scoffed and turned around swiftly. "Fine, then. Keep your secrets. I'm going to go for a hunt and have way more fun that all of you."

She left the arena and Fishegs relaxed. "That was close… Can you believe what she'd do if she found out?"

"I don't want to know. I kinda don't want to come back if it's going to be anything like I imagine," Ruffnut replied. "Let's go."

"Wait, what am I supposed to even say to the northerners?" Fishlegs scrambled. "Something like, 'hey, your daughter may be the lucky winner of our chief's son's hand, come along and find out'?"

Tuffnut laughed under his breath as he climbed onto Belch's neck, securing himself to his saddle. "Try that and tell me how that goes. Seriously, though, I have no idea. Just the basics, I dunno. Tell them we have food and the wedding we've all been waiting for and they'll set sail soon enough."

They took to flight and went their separate directions while Astrid stood against the wall outside the arena, eyes wide and heart frozen. Her knuckles were snow white and she forgot how to think.

* * *

Astrid didn't return to Hiccup's bedside for weeks. She fixed her roof with newfound determination secretly fueled by her anger. She smashed the hammer over and over into the nails that held the wood to her roof in the rain, grunting and gritting her teeth as blisters on her pals cracked open and made her hand hurt more than a Terror bite.

Why was she even mad? Why should she care? She had her chance at marriage, she gave it up. She knew the answer in the back of her head: _because I love Hiccup_. But she shoved it away and banged the nails into the wood harder as if it would replace her thoughts. It didn't help. She wanted it to.

Town folk talked among each other, wondering why she spent hours on the roof alone, rain or shine or even snow until blood ran from her palms down her arms. No one knew, no one else was told yet of the engagement. And she wasn't supposed to know, either. But that was stupid; _of course_ Hiccup would have an arranged marriage. _Of course_ they would marry him off to better the clan. She shouldn't let it get to her. But she did and it was ruining her hands, if anything.

The roof was done faster than anyone expected, especially since Astrid refused anyone to help her. She wanted to be alone. Even after the other returned from their mission, they acted as if nothing was amiss, though they suspected she knew _something_. Why else would she be so angry at shingles and nails? Why else would she avoid Hiccup for over a fortnight?

Then one day, she found a new outlet for her rage. She went to her home to clean up the rest of the internal damage when she found a note on a table: _meet me where you met him_.

She recognized the symbols and ran her bandaged finger over them. Hiccup's writing was almost unmistakable: the symbols had the straightest lines as if they were blueprints of themselves. She ripped up the note and tossed it into the hearth before she left the house slowly. She climbed onto Stormfly and secured herself, giving her a small rub to the head. They lifted off and Astrid flew silently to the cove, where Astrid had first met Toothless.

It was a cold day, but clear, so she had no trouble finding the small break in the ground, the shimmering pond, the huge trees that seemed to grow from nothing. When she landed, she immediately felt sick. She only ever returned to the cove when she needed to; this place held bad memories for her. Her stomach cramped at the thought of how she took her knife, hid behind a boulder, breathed deeply, prayed to the gods, and took away her innocence as messily as she could handle, hoping it would be ugly enough to prove she had been touched. How foolish that was. Gothi healed her up just fine, the cuts too clean to make sense. It only bought her time; that was her understanding of it.

She found Toothless drinking at the far edge of the pond. He peered up and looked away as if she were a bird – nothing of consequence – and continued drinking.

"What do you want?" she asked bluntly. She didn't know where Hiccup would be.

"Tree," was Hiccup's muffled reply. She was nearest to the largest tree in the cove and walked around it, unamused. She found Hiccup leaning against the trunk, holding his side for reassurance and staring out at the water. He smiled at her and greeted her. Astrid didn't return the grin.

"What?" she repeated coldly.

Hiccup's smile faltered and he furrowed his brow. "Why so harsh? Everything okay?"

"What do you think?" she retorted. Hiccup frowned.

"Someone told you, didn't they?" he said quietly.

Astrid scoffed and placed her hands on her hips. Even that hurt her fingers. "Sucks when your scouts also happen to be _my_ scouts. So you're standing, that means your bride will be revealed."

"Don't call her that," Hiccup interrupted. He faced Astrid with newfound annoyance.

"Why not? That's what she's going to be. The wife of Hiccup Haddock Horrendous III, heiress to the tribe of Berk and all her resources, the woman who has no name or residence on this stupid island –"

"Stop," Hiccup muttered.

" – the woman you will fill with as many children as your house will fit –"

"Stop it!" Hiccup sneered angrily. Astrid liked him angry. It made her feel better, finally.

" – the woman who will beg you to get rid of your dragon to focus on her and her foreign ideals –"

"Can you not hear me?!"

" – the woman who was simply born, named, and specially selected to breed with you because of her looks or etiquette or whatever other _horseshit _they've fed her to prepare her for this."

Hiccup threw up his hands in anger. "What the hell are you getting out of this?! You think I wanted this?!"

"I dunno, Hiccup, why aren't you trying to stop it?!"

"I can't stop what's already been decided! I've tried not eating, I've tried _reopening my wounds_ just to avoid today, but I couldn't help but talk to you!"

Astrid glared and flared her nostrils. She shoved Hiccup back. "Why would you want to talk to me about this?! Does your brain not work or something? Did that Skrill burn out all your sense?! Have you been absolutely blind to everything?!"

"NO!" Hiccup cried. "AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM!"

Astrid threw the first punch and hit her mark. Hiccup's head snapped to the side and his nose began to bleed. He steadied himself and held the tree for support. Astrid puffed out her chest and crouched. He flicked his gaze at her and he blinked painfully, wiping away the blood from his lip.

"You hit me."

"Yes I did. It felt wonderful."

Astrid smiled horribly, her body vibrating with anger and rage.

"Why would you do that?" he asked, exasperated.

"I needed to hit something, it's what I do. Some people are not pleased to hear certain things, and you marrying a foreigner is not pleasing."

Hiccup stood up straight. "Yeah? You're angry about her being foreign? Not the fact that she isn't _you_?"

That hit Astrid in the stomach like a fully grown Gronckel. She hadn't expected that. Hiccup wasn't one for fighting back or for being bold. He was supposed to take the blows, show how much pain he was in, and make her feel better. He wasn't supposed to hurt her instead. And that made it even worse for Hiccup, mark her words.

She screamed out in tearful turmoil and lunged for Hiccup, grabbing his collar and shoving him down to the ground. She lifted his shoulders and smashed them down again and again as if she wanted to make a new cove. Hiccup growled and grabbed onto her and rolled them over and over, trying to restrain her. Astrid bit his arm with all her might and Hiccup hit her cheek to make her let go. They both threw fists at each other, yelling and screaming and cursing and growling. Their legs became entwined and Astrid took the opportunity to bend her knee as fast as she could, shoving her thigh into Hiccup's groin. He fell back off her, holding himself for a moment, trying to catch his breath.

Astrid took that time to grab a rock and hurl it at him. "You take that back!" she shrieked. Hiccup rolled out of the way of the flying rock and struggled to his feet. Both of their faces were bruising and bleeding, the pair of them catching their breath. She hurled another rock.

"Why should I?!" he yelled back, ducking away. "It's true!"

"SHUT UP!"

"MAKE ME!"

"THEN STOP DODGING MY ROCKS!"

"Admit it!" Hiccup challenged.

"Why would I _ever_ want to marry someone like _you_?!"

Hiccup faltered and a rock hit his torso. He hissed and grabbed his side. He fell to a knee and hugged himself. Astrid had another rock locked and loaded.

"You're nothing but a boy who lets himself get pushed and pulled around by everyone because you have no purpose!"

Hiccup fell forward and caught himself with a hand. He was in a lot of pain, both from his wounds and her words.

"Why would I love _you_?!" she choked. Hiccup sneered and stared up.

"Because I'd love you back," he spat.

Astrid stumbled back and her mouth fell open. She forgot to breathe. Hiccup glared at her in anger and pain.

"Because I would protect you with my life, my soul, and I would let you beat me into a pulp to feel better about yourself – I'd let you _break my bones_ if it gave you any relief. You have lived through misery and I wanted to be the one who pulled you from it."

He forced himself to his feet while Astrid felt her eyes fill with tears of shock.

"Because I _know_ what you've lost, what you've done, who you are. I didn't let a Skrill maim me to give me a pretty scar, I did it so you wouldn't lose the only person you have left. Because I couldn't let that happen to you."

His eyes, too, filled with tears as he gritted his teeth.

"I don't want to get married to her. I don't want to force myself to love someone in a month when I have tried to _not_ love you for seven years, before you even _noticed_ me as being something other than the town disaster!"

His voice cracked and he looked at her with pleading eyes.

"I can't," he sobbed.

He took the first step and grabbed onto her face, holding her cheeks, pressing his lips on hers with all the force he had contained in his being. Astrid gasped under his breath and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing him back and sobbing against his face. He held onto her and kissed her over and over. They parted their lips to taste each other further, to feel the others' tongue for the first time.

Passionate and desperate, Hiccup pushed her back against the huge tree, the taste of her so irresistible that he wanted more. Not sexually, but more. She held onto him as they pressed against each other through their riding suits, tragically tasting each other's tears and muffled moans escaping their lips. Hiccup pulled back to catch his breath, kissing her face all over and returning to her mouth. He pulled away again to rest his forehead on hers and they held each other for what felt like an eternity and yet not long enough before the horn from Berk shattered the veil of their newly-confessed love, announcing the arrival of Hiccup's bride.


	6. Two Crowns

_It's been a long week, to be sure! Again, thank you to the new followers and favourites, and to those kind enough to review (sometimes as each chapter uploads; you know who you are). Here is a nice long chapter to pick us back up where we left off. _

* * *

**Chapter Six: Two Crowns**

The horn blew and the pair looked at each other. Their shoulders sank and their lips quivered. He kissed her again as if it would stop them from hearing and they held onto each other. Hiccup buried his face in her shoulder and she smashed her face into his chest, clutching at him desperately.

"This isn't fair," Astrid whimpered into his riding suit. "I hate this."

Hiccup took a deep breath and lifted her chin. "Me too… but I have to. I tried everything, Astrid, and I can't…"

"Even… reopening your wounds…" Astrid quoted shakily. Hiccup stiffened as if he never meant to say that. She looked up at him and nodded, sniffing loudly. "Wow…"

She saw it in his eyes, the memory, the pain of hurting himself once more, maybe twice to buy some more time, and it sickened her. She nodded and stepped away. She wiped the tears from her face and readjusted her hair. She looked up at him and found it hard to keep eye contact. "You look awful."

Hiccup squinted. "You do, too. Sorry."

She shrugged and ran her hand up her arm sheepishly. "You know… maybe you'll like her. Or maybe we can come here sometimes to beat the crap out of each other if you don't."

Hiccup winced and forced a chuckle. "I don't think that will be possible… if I'm married, I'm married. If we're fighting, chances are we won't be after we feel better."

She nodded and held back her tears. She took a deep breath and moved away. But he cupped her elbow and turned her towards him. He had a pained smile on his face, a bruise forming over his cheek bone, and he hoisted her over his shoulder.

"Gah! Hiccup, let me GO!" she cried out as she kicked. Hiccup held onto her and readjusted her weight over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He laughed and walked her to the water. He winced as he did so, but Astrid noticed how easy it was for him to carry her. He had carried her like that before years ago for fun and they both fell on their faces. But today, it was little to no issue. She even noticed his back muscles _moving_ under his riding suit. She blushed.

"I didn't ask you to meet me here to talk about marriage," Hiccup grunted. "I wanted to show you something."

"If this is another ridiculous invention that could potentially take off my head, I swear to the gods that I will beat you with your own leg!" Astrid yelled. Hiccup shrugged, forcing the air out of her lungs. He dropped her right into Toothless' saddle, who had been silently waiting for them. Astrid glared at Hiccup as he grinned up at her. He handed her a helmet of sorts. He looked at it without touching it. She wrinkled her nose.

"What is that?" she asked sourly. "It looks like a bucket."

"I guess you could see it as that. It's a bucket for your face."

Hiccup forced it onto her head and Astrid looked at him with the most unamused glare she could muster. "Why?" she sneered horrendously.

"To protect you from the wind. Like my suit."

"Which looks bizarre in itself," she muttered. Hiccup laughed again.

"This baby protects me from everything! I mean, I made yours too, can't you tell that you're more comfortable flying?"

"Not against the freezing sea, apparently," she scowled. "And not made for a woman, initially."

Hiccup looked away, eyebrows raised in embarrassment. "Aaaand we'll leave that conversation there."

Astrid laughed this time as Hiccup put his own helmet on to cover his face. He tightened some straps on his suit, rubbed his side for good measure, and climbed in front of her. He buckled the harness to his suit, clipped his leg into the tail-pedal. He looked over his shoulders, his eyes the only thing visible. He looked to Stormfly and gave her the hand signal to go home. Astrid groaned and wrapped her arms around Hiccup.

"Should you be flying?" she asked. "You're still hurt."

"Yeah, but this will be worth it. I can't wait to hear your reaction."

"And that doesn't make me feel better at AHHHH!"

Toothless exploded into the air, soaring straight up. Her heart slammed into her spine and she clutched at Hiccup desperately. They kept flying up and up, Hiccup cheering and Astrid finding the same thrill. She laughed as she got used to it and Toothless entered the clouds. Astrid's thrill was soon replaced by concern. This was the highest she had ever gone.

Toothless leveled out and Hiccup unbuckled his harness. Astrid squeaked. He smiled and turned his body to face hers, straddling Toothless backwards. Astrid panicked.

"Nope, no, not cool, turn around, turn around right now!"

"Come here."

He grabbed her and pulled her close. He brought his legs up and crossed them so his entire body was on top of Toothless, and not around him. "Okay, put your foot in the pedal."

"No."

"Come on!" he whined. She gulped and inched her foot forward until it touched the pedal. She eased her foot into it and felt the clip wrap around her ankle. She looked up at Hiccup who readied himself.

"Okay, on three, grab on to the reins."

"But you're sitting on them!" she growled.

"One!"

"Hiccup, what are you doing?!"

"Two!"

"I swear, if you –"

"Three!"

Hiccup raised his arms and fell off Toothless, sliding over the edge into nothingness, falling into the clouds. Astrid screamed and Toothless reared his head. She wriggled her foot in the pedal, hyperventilating, wondering if she was supposed to catch him. Cranking her foot down, Toothless dove.

Suddenly, Hiccup emerged from the clouds wearing a wing suit. The stretch of leather between his arms and her ankles were taut with leather. Astrid wrenched up on Toothless, crying out, trying to avoid him as she watched him soar through the air, cheering and swooping.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"Flying! Catch me if you can!"

Astrid swore under her breath. She placed a hand on Toothless' head. "Go get him. I'll do what I can."

Toothless roared and began to glide after him, swooping underneath his rider as he flew above. Astrid tried to reach up to grab him but Hiccup pulled an arm in and banked to the side. Astrid glared, her competitiveness rising within her.

Astrid and Toothless tore after him, Toothless obviously letting his rider get away. But Astrid gently cranked the tail pedal to make Toothless go even faster. She wasn't used to his back or his saddle. Stormfly's shoulders were wider apart and she had a crown of spikes to hold onto and avoid if she threw herself off. They charged after Hiccup through the sea stacks and beacon pillars before Astrid lunged forward and grabbed him. She wrenched him back and pinned him down to the saddle, almost losing her balance.

She proceeded to hit him over and over. "Don't you ever do that again!"

He merely laughed.

The three of them soared high over the island and quieted when they saw the ships approaching the island, peppering the blue water. Astrid let Hiccup replace her in the saddle and she put her cheek on his back. "She's on one of those boats…"

"Don't remind me."

Astrid gave his body a squeeze. "You know when Toothless lands, that's it. We won't be able to do this anymore."

Hiccup was silent for a minute before he reached down towards his foot and cranked a lever back. Toothless' tail jammed open and Hiccup turned himself around. It was steady so high up in the air and Hiccup pulled off his helmet. His hair whipped about hilariously as he tossed it nonchalantly into the air.

"Your helmet!" she gasped. Hiccup shrugged and pulled hers off.

"Toothless can only glide for so long."

He dropped her helmet and pulled her close. He kissed her deeply, passionately, holding onto her freshly bruised and cut face, running a thumb over her cheekbone. Astrid's heart soared as she felt the power of Toothless beneath her and the air around her, the taste of Hiccup on her lips, as they flew through the clouds, knowing it was the last chance they'd get. She wrapped her legs around his waist simply to get closer to him – kissing while straddling a dragon was too much effort, and she wrapped her arm around his neck. She kissed him and tasted him and let herself go for once, forgetting for a tragic moment that someone else was waiting for him.

* * *

Stoick glared when Hiccup entered the house. "The horn blew an hour ago!"

Hiccup was pale, his eyes red. But Stoick knew it was because of the wind. It didn't explain the cuts on his face and the awkward angle to his nose. Hiccup didn't look up at first.

"Your face. What happened to it?" he asked, unamused. "It looks like someone beat the snot out of you."

Hiccup breathed deeply and responded quietly. "Rough landing. I'm fine."

Stoick straightened his shoulders and he smacked a hand on Hiccup's back. Hiccup groaned and held his side as his father broke out into joyous laughter.

"My boy, you have no idea how proud I am of this day. For years, I have waited and waited to read your mother's scroll, to see who she picked for you eighteen years ago! You were a wee lad then, but now… The next month will bring much celebration! Sword fights, dances, dragon tournaments, everything!"

Hiccup stepped away and raised an eyebrow. "A month?"

"I know you want to marry right away but these things take time, my boy."

"Dad, stop," Hiccup sighed. He rubbed his eyes. "Please, stop."

Stoick stepped back and furrowed his eyebrows. "Why? Aren't you happy? We have three clans here with beautiful daughters, all of whom ready to see you wed!"

"I don't want to marry someone from another clan," Hiccup said sternly.

"You're getting cold feet, I get it, it's normal!" Stoick sighed, throwing his hands to his sides. "The other clans aren't bad, Hiccup."

"Dad! I don't want to go up on some stage and proclaim my love to someone who I don't even know!"

Stoick frowned. "Son… when I found out I was to wed your mother, I felt the same way. But I didn't think I could fall in love and when I read her name out, it was the most wonderful feeling an old brute like me could feel. Don't you want the same feeling?"

Hiccup wanted to say he already felt it. He didn't need a piece of paper to help him with that. "I wanted it to be my choice."

"Ah." Stoick put his fists on his hips and looked about the house for a moment. "You're going to be chief one day, son. And that means things are not necessarily going to turn out the way you want them to. You're going to open that scroll and honour your mother's wishes. Understood?"

All he got was a scoff and a wide stare. "Seriously? That's what you're going to say?"

"_Understood_?" Stoick growled. Hiccup threw his hands up in the air and groaned in defeat.

"Fine. Whatever."

Stoick leaned back and smiled again. "Well then. Clean yourself up. The clans are meeting in the Great Hall and I want you looking your best, mingle with them, find out who's who."

He moved to leave, but stopped himself. He reached out and cracked Hiccup's nose back to it's original position. Hiccup gasped and held his face as a gush of blood spilled from one of his nostrils. "You'll find some clothes I had the seamstresses make for today. Prepare for rain tonight."

His father gave him a smile and a nod and left the house. When the door opened, Hiccup could hear the villagers taking loudly, as if there were hundreds of people outside. There probably were. Hiccup wiped the new stream of blood from his nostril and stormed upstairs, where Toothless peaked his head in to see him. He saw his rider upset and tried to cheer him up by grinning a huge toothless grin at him. Hiccup for once couldn't return the favour and found the clothes on his bed. He looked away from them and inadvertently looked at the chest laying on his shelf. He squeezed his eyes shut and dug his palms into his face.

He didn't want to think about it. But Astrid tore off Toothless as soon as he touched the ground and ran into her house. No other words, nothing. They eventually pulled from each other so they could land and it hurt. Hiccup put a hand over his heart and blinked for a few moments, feeling. He hadn't really felt the flutter before, but now it was there, he felt it was the most unfair thing he could have felt.

* * *

The clothes were soon on and his face was washed. He looked down at himself and felt ridiculous. The clothing was normal, maybe even fancy: a new cotton shirt that was tight around the wrists and loose everywhere else, with a collar that hung open over his chest save for a few undone laces for protection. The shirt was white with red embellishments, and he wore black trousers with it. A huge belt with a dragon crest wrapped around his hips and he had his chiefdom crown that he only wore on the most important occasions. This meant he had never worn it before, save for Astrid's memorial to her parents and all those lost to the river poison and the Outcast raid.

He placed it on his head. It was simple, a gold band that circled his head and did nothing but show he was the chief's son. It made him look different. He didn't like it. He ran his hand over his chin and wrinkled his face to the sight of stubble coming in and the bruises becoming very noticeable. Astrid certainly had a mean fist. And she was good with rocks. And kissing.

"Stop it!" Hiccup growled at himself. He smacked himself over the head and grabbed the chest. He clutched it as if opening it would ruin his life, and he'd be damned if that wasn't the truth.

The walk to the Great Hall was a short one. It had been hours since Stoick went ahead without him, and he couldn't stall anymore. He wanted to see her again, but it would make things worse. He really wanted to take his drawing book and fly to a sea stack to create a new invention, maybe something to add to his shield or his leg. Or maybe a new sketch of the Skrill, now that he'd been acquainted with one a lot better (his side seized at the thought) or maybe he'd draw a person… he'd drawn a few people in the past, and it wasn't exactly the same as drawing blueprints.

He pulled open the Great Hall door, the sounds of loud kinsmen booming and echoing through the thick wood, and stepped inside.

"Ah, there he is!" a girl shrieked. Hiccup jumped at the sound and almost walked out before Toothless came up behind him and nudged him forward. Many people cheered and bowed, but a girl and her posse of ladies surrounded him. The head of the group of ladies grabbed onto his wrist and hauled him into her group.

"I have been waiting my whole life to meet you," she began shrilly. "I've sorted everything!"

Hiccup could only stammer and stare at her. She was a pompous sort of girl, slightly shorter then he but wearing the most outlandish and unreasonable clothing he had ever seen. She was wearing a dress, but it was poofed and raised and pinched in ways that made her look like a honey bee. It was bright red and her hair had been braided in ways that made Hiccup dizzy. And she wore paint on her face. She looked terrifying.

"I've sized rings, I've made arrangements to have a second saddle made for your fierce dragon, I've lined up your wardrobe, everything!"

Hiccup swallowed. "And your name is?"

"Aw, sugarplum, my name is Barb, were you so quick to forget your wife's name?"

Hiccup wavered and Toothless, great at picking up Hiccup's cues, caught the simple hand gesture he made and did what he was commanded. He hissed at Barb, shining his teeth at her and sending her flailing back.

Hiccup made his escape and struggled to get through the crowd, who all wanted to shake his hand or sell their daughter to him. Someone barred his way and Hiccup stumbled back. A huge woman in leather armour glared down at him. Her hair was wet and unruly, her brown eyes bearing into him fiercely. She had a hand on the hilt of a great sword and she looked at Toothless with hatred gleaming in her eyes.

"Ah. You let that thing inside," she spat. Hiccup glared.

"That _thing_ is Toothless, and he's my dragon."

"Oh, I have no doubt," the woman admitted, "but it's inside. It should be hanging on a wall."

Hiccup was usually gentle, even ignorant to certain things. Insulting or threatening Toothless was not one of them. He shoved her back and she stumbled. She smiled harshly.

"Ah. Nice to see the potential father of my children isn't a total guppy."

Hiccup and a group of villagers surrounding him stepped away, looking to her and to him over and over. He wanted to hurl, not because she was ugly, but the thought of sleeping with her made his whole body hurt.

He staggered and stumbled to the front of the Great Hall, already regretting not running away. But he also noticed that Astrid wasn't there. She was nowhere to be found. That struck a nerve within him, but at least Toothless kept everyone away. He was good at that, especially when Hiccup was having an exceptionally hard time around people. But it had never been this bad; hundreds of people he didn't recognize stared at him with skeptical gazes harsh enough to bore a hole through his chest. His side hurt and his nose ached and by the time he limped up the stairs, his body was shaking and his vision blurred around the edges.

"Are you alright?" a gentle voice asked. A soft hand steadied him. He didn't even know he was falling over before the unfamiliar girl righted him. He looked up and saw a kind face with a soft smile, lovely green eyes like his own and cheeks rosy from the heat of the fire and people around them. Her black hair weaved around a braid of leather and her dress was practical to the point of looking normal. She was also young. Maybe thirteen or fourteen. She pulled her hands back.

"I'm sorry. My name is Rose."

Hiccup smiled gratefully. Rose stepped back and looked around timidly. "Rose? What does that mean?"

"I'm told it's a lovely flower. Red or white or maybe other colours. And the stem has thorns. But I've never seen one, so I'm not sure if I do the name justice."

"It's nice to meet you, Rose. Who did you come with?"

Rose hesitated before sheepishly looking outward. "I was sent as a representative to one of the clans who couldn't make it. I have been waiting very long to meet you. You look like him, you know. Your father."

Hiccup motioned to the box. "So your name. It could be here."

"I certainly hope not," she said very quickly. Hiccup raised an eyebrow.

"You're the first one to say that."

Rose bit her lip. "It's just… I have someone else. At home. They're waiting for me to come back. I was to come when the marriage was announced and return to them. If it is written, then… that will be an awkward thing to explain."

Hiccup smiled and bowed his head. "Then I hope for your sake that your name isn't on this piece of paper. But I don't understand… you sailed here alone?"

"I sailed with trader Johann from my island. It was a long trip but I feel it'll be worth it."

Hiccup nodded. Rose looked at him and smiled again, but she was also wary. She cocked her head to the side and grinned. "Ah. It seems you didn't want to see my name on the scroll either."

Hiccup stared at her through his eyelashes. "What gave it away?"

"I can see you thinking of another face. My mother does it all the time when she thinks of my father. She stares off and you can see his face behind her eyes. You have the same ghost in your face."

Hiccup blinked at little Rose, who looked straight into his eyes. He looked away and looked at the scroll. Rose smiled and rested her hands on the chest.

"Have you read it, yet?" she asked quietly.

Hiccup looked up, confused. "No."

Rose looked up and beamed. "I can't wait to hear what she says. I hope she's beautiful."

"Hiccup?" a voice murmured behind him. Hiccup tensed everywhere and Rose looked over his shoulder.

"Astrid?" Hiccup breathed. Rose raised her eyebrows and smiled, spinning away and leaving Hiccup alone on the platform. He didn't know how to turn, but when he did, he saw Astrid. And she looked stunning.

Her face was about as bruised as his, and one of her cheeks was swollen, but the redness made her icy blue eyes leap out at him. She was wearing peaceful clothes instead of her riding suit, or her armour. Her dress was a pale yellow… maybe it was white at some point… and her hair was braided over one of her shoulders, but not intricately. Her hair was long, he realized, when she didn't braid it extensively into itself, like she usually did behind her neck to keep it out of the way. She wore her circlet around her head, silver, and Hiccup had only seen it at once other occasion.

"Nice crown," she said quietly.

They had only worn their crowns at her parents' wake.

"You, too."

Astrid nodded to Rose, who peeked at the two of them and quickly spiraled away. "She's pretty."

"She's young."

"Out of all the girl's I've seen drooling over you, I like her the most."

"She doesn't want me."

"'Want' doesn't matter tonight, as you probably gathered."

Hiccup frowned. "Why are you doing this to yourself?"

Astrid didn't expect that question. She smoothed the fabric of her dress and caught her breath.

"I don't know, maybe to support you?"

Hiccup bit his lip and looked over the guests of the Great Hall. "I'm about to read another woman's name and you're going to pretend like it's not going to hurt?"

"That's exactly what I'm going to do," she replied. She forced a smile on her lips and shrugged playfully. "Besides, since this is a big deal, Berk is putting on some events. Dragon races, duels, everything. And I'm going to win them all."

He could tell this was her way of protecting herself so he played along. It almost tore his heart out to laugh with her when they had been passionately kissing that morning. Toothless knocked Hiccup aside and nuzzled her skirt, begging fpr a scratch behind the fins. Astrid obliged and Stoick clasped Hiccup's back.

"Everyone, gather around! It's time! Clansmen and daughters, let us rejoice! For it is time that my boy, my son and future chief to this island, the man who brought peace between men and dragons, will finally find out who his bride is!"

The room exploded with cheer and laughter. Hiccup was too terrified and nervous to smile. But Stoick laughed and waved a hand to silenced the crowd.

"When my boy was only three winters old, his mother asked to pick his future bride. So I gave her a scroll and let her be and I kept her scroll safe for eighteen more winters, praying to the gods he'd live to open it. Little more than a month has passed since Hiccup's latest feat. Fighting a Skrill to save a Dragonling, he was wounded to the point where I thought he'd be lost to us. So when he wasn't I decided it was time."

People cheered again and Astrid made her way to the back of the hall, smiling at that last comment. No matter how tonight would end, she would always be thankful for her sister's life.

Stoick looked down at Hiccup and smiled. "Go ahead, son. Open it. Speak loud, speak true."

Hiccup looked over all the faces. Barb and her gang of atrociously dressed fangirls, the large woman with the bloodlust issue when it came to Toothless, Rose with her encouraging smile… the twines faces suddenly appeared as they gawked up at him, Snotlout and his wife Wormha smiling, Fishlegs eating at the side with a grin over his face, and even Gobber, who was next to wasted but still enthusiastic.

Hiccup stared at them all and felt Toothless bonk his legs. He felt strong, but he felt sick. He gripped the clasp of the chest and opened it slowly. The entire hall went quiet as he reached inside and grabbed the scroll.

Astrid couldn't do it. She thought she could but when she saw the old paper in his hand, she had to slip out. It was pouring outside – it usually went from rain to shine and back again in a matter of minutes – and she let the rain pelt her as she ran from the doorway and away from the name on the scroll.

Without noticing her departure, Hiccup opened the scroll and the crowd was freakishly quiet. He cleared his throat and blinked at the scroll. Stoick watched him read. And he read and read and read. He didn't stop reading.

_Dearest Hiccup_, it said. _It's your mother. And if you're reading this right now, it means you're in the Great Hall surrounded by hundreds of people. It also means I am no longer with you. It means I have left you here alone and for that, I am so sorry. _

_I'm lying in bed and your father is fixing our house. A Zippleback wrecked the chimney I fear, but it means I get to spend some alone time with you. You keep squirming on my lap. You want to go outside. You are adventurous and hilariously tiny for your age. But I wanted to take this time to write you one last letter in case I go on an adventure myself and never come back. _

_My son, I told your father that I would pick your bride for you. And it's true, I have picked a lady for you to wed. But I want you to know that I would have given anything to be there with you on that platform. Maybe I never need to give you this note and I watch you grow into a man. But it's something I have to accept, being a Viking when there are dragons and Outcasts circling our island. _

_Now, your bride. I told your father that I would pick someone from another clan. And I don't know if she is. All I know is he needed to know something so I could get my way with this. If I am not there anymore, it means I have one more gift to give you as your mother. The person I have chosen for you…_

"Hiccup? What does it say?"

Hiccup raised a hand to shut his father up, the scroll saying something he did not expect. The crowd gasped at the gesture, but Hiccup kept reading, his heart pounding and a lump in his throat forming.

_…is the girl who makes you feel bigger than a hiccup. Larger than a dragon. Softer than fresh cotton. She may be the fiercest dragon fighter, the gentlest bread maker, the smartest hunter. Maybe she slays dragons. Maybe she adores them. Maybe she wishes she could fly them. I know I want to. _

_She's the girl who will punch you across your face when you make her angry and kiss your cheek once she realizes you're sorry. She's the girl who laughs at the way you look and the way you speak not because she's making fun of you, but because she adores you. She's the one who looks radiant in anything because no matter what she does, she's always the same woman: the one who stole your heart. _

_I'm not saying to find a pretty face in a crowd. I am asking you to find the face you are looking for right now. When your father told you that I had picked for you, did you hope it was a specific girl? Did you think I would choose someone without knowing she had your heart? Since I am gone, I need you to find that girl, the one who you are aching for right now. _

_I don't need to tell you her name. I don't need to know it. She is strong. She is beautiful. She is perfect and maybe you're the only one who thinks so. She's the one you would die for, let a dragon kill you for, risk everything for. It's what I would do for you and if you're reading this now, it means I have done that. So look up and find her, Hiccup. Find her and kiss her and tell her you love her, that her name was on this scroll. A name won't mean anything to you unless it's hers, so let it be so. Life is too short to hesitate. _

_I love you, my sweet little Hiccup, and I will be there beside you. You may not see me, but I'll be there. Now go._

Hiccup's hand shook as he pulled the scroll away from his eyes. Everyone was waiting as Stoick furrowed his brows when he saw his son's face wet with tears He looked stunned. He looked to his father and reminded himself to breathe.

"So who is it?!" Barb shrieked from across the hall. "Just say it!"

Hiccup didn't look at her, he kept his eyes on his dad. He handed him the paper and smiled, tears in his eyes, joyous sobs escaping his lips.

"I love my mother," he choked. "I love her so much."

Stoick looked down and began to read while Hiccup tried to find her. But she wasn't there. So he leapt from the platform and forced his way to the door. Many people jumped out of the way with how fast he sprinted, Toothless roaring behind him in triumph. He wrenched open the door into the rain and ran so fast he slipped so many times. The rain soaked right through to his skin as he raced down the muddy hill, his side screaming in pain, his wound reopening slightly with every stumble and slip. But he was laughing. He was laughing so hard he couldn't breathe.

He saw a figure trudging through the rain. The yellow dress clung to her legs and her long braid sagged from all the water.

"Astrid!" Hiccup tried to yell, too exhausted to be heard. "ASTRID!"

Astrid turned and glared. "Leave me alone," she yelled over the storm. "I don't want to know her name, I don't want to hear anything."

Hiccup slowed and grabbed her arms. He couldn't breathe and he grabbed her face.

"I love you!" he wheezed.

Astrid's eyes went wide. Hair stuck to her face and she shivered in the pounding rain. "What?"

"I love you," he repeated with more air in his lungs. "I love you."

"Stop it, it's not funny," she said. Her chin quivered and she held onto his face. "We both know my name couldn't be on that scroll. It can't be. I'm not from another clan, I hurt my innocence, I-I-I can't, it can't be!"

"She's letting me choose," Hiccup cried. "She's letting me choose and I'm choosing you!"

Astrid looked at his eyes frantically. "But why me?! What could I give you?"

"You don't have to give me anything but your hand. Marry me, promise me you'll marry me before the clans catch up and make me choose someone else."

Astrid couldn't form words, her body cold and on fire all at once. Her heart was beating so fast she wavered in his arms. Hiccup kissed her, hard. He pulled away and pressed his forehead to hers.

"Please, Astrid. When we heard that it could be someone else, we were devastated. Now we have a chance to be together. We don't have to touch, we don't have to agree on everything, we don't have to do anything. But I don't want anyone else and I am praying that you feel the same."

Time stopped. The rain suspended in midair and Hiccup stared into Astrid's eyes as she closed them, breathed, and pulled away.

"I get to pick what I wear, then," she said.

Hiccup cried out in joy and scooped her up in his arms, kissing her face over and over. She laughed too, the pair of them crying in the rain. They kissed and kissed and held onto each other while Stoick read the rest of the note, tears in his eyes. He left the Great Hall and looked to the raining sky. A storm cloud parted and he saw the stars beyond. He touched his fingers to his lips, kissed them, and waved to the clouds, whispering an 'I love you' to the sky. He knew his wife heard it, and he looked down the hill to see a tiny Hiccup carrying a figure in soft yellow, spinning her around and around.

There were hundreds of people crammed into that building. Hundreds from the island and the other clans. But the happiest two were out in the freezing rain away from the fires, because they had finally gotten what they had wanted the most in the world: each other.


	7. The Fight, The Chase, The Stars

Hello, all! Again, thank you to all those who have recently followed our adventure and commented on it. I have been having some annoying troubles with the laptop but now that I have a window to breathe, I have another chappie! Enjoy. :)

* * *

**Chapter Seven: The Fight, The Chase, The Stars**

Stoick smiled to himself as he watched Hiccup and Astrid down the hill, but that happiness was soon shattered by a scream behind him.

"What's he doing?!" Barb shrieked. "Who is that girl?!"

"That is my son's betrothed," Stoick replied simply, ushering her back inside. Barb sneered and punched Stoick's chest. She hurt her own hand and did nothing to the chief, but Spitelout and Gobber, Stoick's right hands, seized her and hauled her away.

"She's not from another clan!" Barb screamed. "He broke the rules!"

"The rule was he was allowed to choose, and he did," Stoick replied, raising his hands to quiet the freshly disturbed clansmen. "My son has chosen his bride. That was what my wife wanted, and that is what he shall get."

"It's not fair!" Barb cried, paint running down her face. Her father came up behind her and held onto her, shooting a glare at Stoick. Stoick held his ground. praying this would not fester into something unmanageable. Tension between the clans wasnot what he needed.

"It was a mistake coming here," the brutish girl remarked. "Some marriage contract. I thought this would expand our clans, not keep it isolated to this godforsaken island."

"Watch your tongue, Cauli," her father sneered. "He is still the chief."

"As if," was her retort. "Why did we travel all this way if this was the answer?"

Stoick sighed and pursed his lips. "There will be a wedding, regardless. Stay, feast, and be merry. Either way, this is joyous news and there will still be new treaties signed and arranged, that will not change. New negotiations of the allianced clans have been scribed and are waiting your review, just as it would have been regardless."

That seemed to keep a lot of clansmen at bay. Rose looked out the doors and turned to Stoick with a smile. "I'm glad that's all sorted, then!"

Stoick chuckled as he waved to Hiccup and Astrid far yonder to come back. There was much left to do in the night.

Hiccup pried himself from Astrid's frigid face and looked back. Astrid huddled against him for warmth but didn't find much. She touched her hand to his side and found it spotted minimally with tiny splotches of blood. Toothless bounded towards them and licked Astrid's face as if he already knew the news and the two of them clambered behind him and let him carry them proudly back into the Great Hall.

Clothing soaked and muddy and slightly stained with red, the two were applauded and covered in heavy blankets. The crowd parted so they could walk up the platform to the fire. They shivered and awkwardly looked out to the crowd. Some were smiling. Some were scowling. Hiccup laughed nervously and the whole room vibrated with giggles and chuckles and chortles.

"Back to the ceremony!" Stoick bellowed. "Son, tell the clans your decision."

Hiccup let down his blanket to let a matron check his ribs. He lifted the shirt and the room gasped at once, sucking the air in and suspending it as they saw the ugly cut formed partially into a scar and spilt open at the sides. The matron dabbed at it with a clean cloth as Hiccup looked to Astrid, who couldn't help but smile.

"So, uh…" Hiccup began, "that was not what I expected."

Another communal laugh released the gasp and the matron released his shirt and brought his blanket back over his shoulders.

"The scroll my mother wrote didn't have a single name on it. In fact, there were no names on it at all," he continued. He swallowed. "My mother left us when I was seven. I hardly remember her, but when I read it, I knew they were her words, her wishes. She told me to choose for myself and I'd love to introduce you my betrothed."

Hiccup reached out a hand from under the blankets and gestured to Astrid proudly. "Astrid was that choice for me."

"Slattern!" an angry voice sneered from the back. Hiccup jumped and Stoick had a hand on the hilt of his great sword. Barb elbowed her way through the crowd with her posse ducking nervously. "Slut! Whore!"

Hiccup stepped in front of Astrid, suddenly very protective and livid. Astrid tried to shove by to give Barb a piece of her mind – or a fist to the mouth more likely – but Hiccup held firm. The last thing he wanted was a fight. He stared at Barb who glared at him.

"That was unnecessary," Stoick barked to Barb's family and clan. "Show some grace."

"_She_ never did!" Barb seethed. "I've sniffed about, I've heard about this yak! They say she was taken already, taken and impure and whorified and spoiled!"

Astrid shook with anger and disgust at that. Hiccup shuddered down his spine at the thought of that scenario.

"You can't marry someone who is unspoiled, my dad says so!" Barb shrieked.

"I'm no more spoiled than you are!" Astrid yelled back. The crowd gasped loudly and Barb's father stepped forward in offense. "I wish I meant that in the worst possible way, but I have never been touched!"

"Oh yeah?!" Barb screamed. "I heard some of your matrons muttering about and saying they were as confused as I am because they had to fix you up, put everything back together!"

Astrid fumed and looked at Hiccup. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath and asked Hiccup to step aside as politely as possible. She faced Barb from the top of the platform. Hiccup had the memory of her shuddering in the cove, blood on the ground, her face twisted in a pain that was consentual and possibly regretted. He shook his head of the image.

"When I was fifteen," Astrid announced to the hall, "my parents told me I was to be married off. No love, no knowledge. And I didn't want to be sold off like livestock off a boat simply to better my family's finances and to breed some children. I wanted freedom. So I took a knife and freed myself. Because I wanted to fly dragons and fight armies and run wild rather than primp and preen and pray that some random boy would have my name on a piece of parchment."

Barb almost responded but then clamped her mouth shut. She glared. "So you did it to yourself? Because you _didn't_ want to get married?"

"It may not make sense to anyone, but yes. I didn't want to marry anyone. So I made sure no one would want me."

"But _he_ does!" Barb cried, thrusting a fat finger at Hiccup.

"I knew Astrid did this to herself," Hiccup said strongly. Stoick looked over and the matrons all sucked back and tittered to each other as if everything suddenly made sense. "I'm sorry I didn't pick you, Barb, but in all honesty, you deserve someone who knows your interests."

Barb's chin quivered before she spun away, huffing and shoving past her father to get to the sheep meat roasting over another fire. Astrid understood that feeling – when in humiliated sadness, eat a lot of meat. Astrid looked over to Hiccup and gave him a small smile before Cauli, the huge girl with the temper, stepped forward.

"I don't like this," she said harshly, "that we take the word from a dead woman over some good ol' tradition!"

Stoick stepped forward with his hand on his hilt. "Watch it, Cauli. That dead woman happens to be my wife!"

"I don't see any wife standing up there making the calls!"

Hiccup raised his hands in defense but Astrid placed a hand on his shoulder. She pulled him back sternly and threw the blanket off her damp body, revealing her dirty dress and a trembling posture. The anger, the rage bubbling up inside her breast, Astrid defended Hiccup's mother as fiercly as her own. The casualities of Berk were sacred, and to tramp upon them was disgusting. She looked down at Cauli.

"What would make our honoured guests content?" Astrid asked threateningly. Hiccup knew whenever Astrid used formal language, she was readying herself for a fight. He sunk into his shoulders.

Cauli smiled, showing her crooked teeth. "I want to see you earn your place next to him."

"None of that!" Hiccup growled. "My betrothal needs no more proving than my choice!"

Astrid looked at him with a look that clearly said 'shut the hell up before I shove my fist so far down your throat, you won't be hungry for a moon cycle'. She looked back to Cauli, who had a wide berth around her. Even Stoick was reluctant to reject her reasonable request for a Viking-like preposition. "A fight? Would that make you happy?"

"Depends on the terms," Cauli snorted. She spat on the ground and pulled her great sword forward. "First, if I beat you, I get his hand, his titles, and his land."

Hiccup groaned and Astrid thought for a moment. "Is that all? When you say 'first', I assume there's more."

Cauli smiled. "And your dragon."

Astrid immediately straightened her back and clenched her fists. There was a roar from Berk's Vikings; a bond between a dragon and their rider was sacred, spiritual and individual. Among the noise was Hiccup, looking to his father to call off the challenge.

"You can't do that, Cauli! A dragon isn't something you can trade!" Hiccup yelled. Cauli shrugged and stared at Astrid.

"If you win, I will pledge my allegiance to Berk, to serve and fight with my armies if you need it, to renew our treaties with Berk to silidify them until the end of time. Consider it a wedding gift."

There was a tense silence as Astrid glared, furious at the intrusive taunts of Cauli's snarky mouth.

"Seems fair," Astrid mumbled, unamused. There was a murmur among the Vikings, and Cauli's father even receded to pure intrigue. Hiccup bit his lip and watched Astrid's shivering body tower over Cauli's from the platform.

"I'll make it even fairer," she said with a harsh laugh. "You can have someone fight with you."

Astrid sucked in a breath as Cauli reached out and grabbed Rose by the collar and thrust her forward. She cried out and Hiccup gasped. The room vibrated with retorts as Rose skittered to halt before Astrid. Astrid looked down at her with a sickened expression.

"She's a child!" Astrid growled.

"Don't care. Use her. She's annoyingly quiet."

Rose looked up at Astrid, eyes wide. Astrid looked from her to Cauli and back again before stepping down the platform, standing in front of Rose, and tilted her chin up strongly. Gods, she was beautiful.

"Please tell me you're not as innocent as you look," Astrid muttered to Rose's pretty face. Rose blinked, but to Astrid's surprise, Rose straightened her shoulders and gave a nod. Suddenly, Cauli hurled herself for the pair of them, sword raised. Astrid shoved Rose back and ducked as the blade soared over her head. Hiccup cried out along with hundreds of others. Astrid rolled to her feet.

"What about weapons?" she yelled.

"Guess you don't have any!" Cauli cackled. She charged again and Astrid jumped out of the way. Stoick grabbed onto Hiccup and pulled him back.

"Let them fight," Stoick growled to his struggling son.

"I need to stop this!" Hiccup sneered.

"To do so risks war. And Cauli's people have the soldiers."

Suddenly, Cauli turned to Rose, who was pulling herself off the ground. Her rosy cheek had been scraped on the stone, her green eyes wide with observant fear. Her dark hair fell in front of her face as she scrambled to her feet. Astrid ran to Cauli, but she was ready and elbowed Astrid out of the way, knocking her into a beam with a loud crack. Astrid hit the floor hard as Cauli ran for Rose. But instead of running, Rose grabbed her belt that cinched her skirts and tore the buckle free. Hiccup struggled against his father as Cauli raised her blade.

Rose pulled the belt free and attached to it were her skirts, leaving behind a pair of leather pants. She billowed her skirts forward and threw them over Cauli, using the belt to secure it around Cauli's arms. Blinded, Cauli flung herself around as Rose ran to a beam, kicked off it, and landed on Cauli. She dug her fingers into her enemy's face and crossed her legs so Cauli wouldn't throw her off. Astrid leapt to her feet. She cringed and she couldn't stand up straight. Broken ribs? She wasn't sure. But she knew that she had one weapon, and that was Rose.

Astrid ran to Cauli and avoided her swinging sword. Rose screamed as her body was wrenched back and forth, but amazingly enough, she stayed on. She pulled back on Cauli's head and the huge woman lost her footing, helped by Astrid kicking her feet from under her. Rose wriggled out of the way and rolled over the ground, landing on her feet briskly. Astrid threw herself to Cauli's hand and stomped on her wrist until her sword came free. She grabbed the sword and thrust it under her throat. Cauli sneered and glared at Astrid.

"I win," Astrid panted. "So sod off."

Cauli's frown transformed into hearty laughter. "Finally. That was entertaining. I adhere to my terms. Now get off me."

Astrid stumbled back and Rose jumped off limberly. She skittered to her skirts and buckled them around her waist again, trying to be unnoticed. But of course, many eyes were on the girl that seemed so quiet and innocent. Astrid gave her a nod as she stumbled up the ramp. Hiccup grabbed her and noticed her grimace.

"Are you alright?" Hiccup breathed. But Astrid wrapped her arms around Hiccup's neck and kissed him deeply, breathing in his scent and getting a huge response from the crowd. Hiccup reminded himself to breathe. Astrid very rarely started a romantic action – sometimes a kiss after a punch that was quick and to the point – but this was far from that. She pulled away and turned to the crowd once more.

"Let that be proof in itself. I want no more games, no more challenges. I want a wedding."

And a wedding we shall have!" Stoick boomed. He clasped Hiccup and Astrid and smiled to the Great Hall. The next thing they knew, they were being surrounded by everyone, the platform creaking under the weight of hundreds of Vikings.

"I told you it was about time!" Tuffnut sneered, elbowing Ruffnut out of the way. Fishlegs laughed and shook Hiccup's arm, threatening to break it with his massive strength. But it was Toothless who jumped through everyone, barreling into Hiccup and licking his face, leaping off, and crashing into Astrid. Rose jumped out of the way, dabbing at her face, smiling thoughtfully at how Toothless licked Hiccup over and over. She cocked a head to the side before Toothless wrenched his massive head around and cantered over to Rose herself, sniffing at her skirts and looking at her curiously. Rose giggled and patted his nose gently.

Toothless dove in to smell her more, sniffing about the floor and chortling deep in his throat. She was pressed against a pillar. Astrid stared and felt her gut clench, but before she could alert Hiccup to the oddity, Toothless was finished exploring and jumped through the crowd to an open barrel of smelly, delectable fish. Astrid glared at Rose before Hiccup grabbed her hand.

"I know it's customary," Hiccup yelled over the loud voices, "that the bride be taken in by the elders to prepare her for what I'm sure will be a wonderful wedding – at least, I certainly hope so; it's my wedding – but I have one thing to say before that happens!"

Hiccup looked to Stoick proudly and entwined his long fingers into Astrid's calloused hand. He looked at her and gave her hand a hard squeeze.

"Before you take her from me, before we begin the purity period, I'd like to say… RUN!"

Hiccup leapt off the platform with Astrid in tow and barreled out the door. Ruffnut and Tuffnut, Snotlout and Fishlegs, all caught on and shoved Vikings out of the way so they could smash through the door. The other Vikings – the men who would care for Hiccup and the women who would care for Astrid – all yelled in happy protest and pursued them. It was a fairly new tradition for the bride and groom to run off and be chased by the villagers and guests.

Astrid felt the cold air fly through her as the two of them slipped and stumbled their way down the hill from the Great Hall into the village. It was no longer raining, thankfully. If there was one thing the two were equally good at, it was running. So they ran, giddy and cold and excited, breathless and overwhelmed by the night. They heard people behind them and Hiccup ran through the smithy, over the anvil and to Astrid's house. They ran in and Hiccup shut the door. Astrid shivered as he shoved a cupboard in front of it. He spun around to see her, soaked and pale and with a huge smile on her face.

"They're going to look here, you troll," Astrid chattered.

"Don't talk, just get into something dry," Hiccup begged happily. Astrid paled further and looked at her dress.

"You mean… just take it off?" She looked up at him shyly, colour returning to her face.

Hiccup paled harsher than her and gulped. "Oh. Oh, no. I didn't mean that."

Astrid cracked into a small smile. "You're freaking out."

"I don't want to freak _you_ out," Hiccup stammered. "I didn't want you to take off your clothing in front of me, I mean, I just want you to be comfortable."

"Would _you_ be comfortable if I took off my dress?" Astrid asked innocently with a hint of mischief.

Hiccup swayed and rubbed his forehead. "I'm… uh… no… not that you're not… well… I just… everything sort of happened all at once and while I can't believe it worked out the way it did… I… I'm still not…"

Astrid nodded slowly. "It's something to get used to… the whole… idea."

"Yeah," Hiccup replied. "I mean… we sort of have expectations now. To, you know…"

Astrid widened her eyes and straightened her posture. "Oh. Right. That."

"But not right now!" Hiccup stammered. But Astrid couldn't help but think about it. The way his longish hair began to poke up as it dried, the way his green eyes looked so concerned, how she could see his skin through his soaked shirt and how lanky and lean he was from dragon riding, how his prosthetic leg broke the silence with a tiny squeak, how kissing him made her feel, the idea of letting him take off her dress and kissing her neck –

Suddenly, a loud bang knocked Astrid out of her warm reverie. She whirled around and snatched a fur cloak from her chair and grabbed Hiccup's hand. They bounded up the steps to Astrid's room where the dragon door was. Stormfly reared her massive head and Astrid called to her.

She climbed onto Stormfly's back and hauled Hiccup up behind her. Stormfly jumped out of the door and onto the roof. The house was surrounded and the Nadder shot into the sky. Stormfly ran off the roof and sliced into the sky, Astrid and Hiccup holding onto her as she raced away from the village.

"It will take them some time to get their dragons up," Astrid called over the wind. "Where to?"

"The sea stacks. I don't want to fly Stormfly too much. I want her to be okay with her wing."

They flew in silence, piercing the sky only with the sound of Stormfly's beating wings and purring. They circled around the island in the cover of the thick clouds and eventually touched gently on the mossy top of a great sea stack, scarred from hundreds of years of dragon claws begin sharpened on the rocky surface, smooth from the harsh weather. Hiccup slid down and helped Astrid. She grunted quietly and held her side for a moment.

"She was a dirty fighter," she muttered simply, but she relaxed when she felt that her ribs were intact. Hiccup held her hand and led her to the edge of the sea stack. He sat down and stared at the clouds parting, showing off the huge moon. They sat for what seemed like an eternity, but they enjoyed every minute of it. It was quiet up here, it was calm. Hiccup reached over and grabbed Astrid's hand. He pulled her close and they kept looking at the sky, wrapped in her one fur cloak, wet and stiff but content.

Soon, they could see stars. Tiny spatters of twinkling jewels came out in the velvet sky and Astrid curled up close. "What are you thinking about?" she murmured as gentle as a feather brush. Hiccup breathed deeply and held onto her.

"My mum," he said quietly. Astrid nodded against his cheek and traced her gaze over the constellations.

"Do you think they'd be happy?" Astrid asked. "With us?"

Hiccup took a moment. "They were great friends, I'm told," he replied.

"Do you think they're watching us?"

Hiccup nuzzled Astrid and breathed in her scent. "I hope so… but… it's weird."

"Hmm?"

"I feel like…" Hiccup hesitated and swallowed. "I feel like… she's out there. She's somewhere out there looking for me."

His body gave a harsh shake and Astrid felt her cheek get wet. She looked up and saw Hiccup crying, expressionless and silent, as he ran his fingers through her drying hair. She sat up and cupped his face and forced him to look at her.

"Hey…"

Hiccup blinked and looked at her fondly. He smiled, making another tear fall down his raised cheek. "Yes?"

She smiled in the moonlight and didn't let herself think. "She is out there, Hiccup. She up there in the clouds, in the sky. She's the air under our dragons and the warm breeze that makes us shiver. She's out there and so is mine. They're together, our parents, and they're going to watch us marry and when it rains, it'll be because they're crying of happiness."

Hiccup sniffed and squeezed her. "Are you upset that it's me?"

Astrid blinked and squinted in confusion. "What?"

"Do you want to do this? With me, as I am, with all my flaws?"

She gave his face a squeeze and smirked. "I'm the _only_ one who can tolerate you, I think. I think it's a perfect arrangement. And if I change my mind, I can just beat you until I am satisfied."

Hiccup chuckled and kissed her forehead gently. "Deal."

"You know…" Astrid said sleepily, "…I'm happy. I'm really happy. I'm the happiest I've been in so long and it's not because I had to fight someone. It's because someone chose me instead."

"I aim to impress," Hiccup replied. Astrid grinned and kissed him softly on his cold lips. He pressed into her with caution, kissing her and enjoying the feeling of her lips and nose on his cold skin. And they kept kissing quietly and gently until the others found them and separated them in preparation for their big day.


	8. Knives

_I tried to have this up last night but my day was just too busy. Thank you to my new followers and those who continually support me and my story. I save every one of them and they always make me happy. Enjoy!_

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**Chapter Eight: Knives**

It had been three weeks since the marriage announcement, and Berk was busier than trader Johann around Snoggletog. Astrid was in Gothi's home at the top of one of the hills watching her first of seven baths fill as the matrons poured buckets and buckets of boiled water into the stone tub. Flower petals to symbolize maidenhood and virtue were scattered over it and oils from about a hundred vials made the water smell beautiful and strong.

Astrid was in a robe, and felt uncomfortable as she huddled in what felt like a spider web for an article of clothing. For the past three weeks, she was not allowed to leave to see Hiccup – or anyone for that matter – or speak of Hiccup, or even sleep alone lest adult thought plague her dreams and make her act with her own means. It frustrated her and made her cranky rather than relaxed.

And to make matters worse, she would be examined today. After her bath with the matrons, Gothi would lay her down and make sure she was ready for her husband, to make sure she was intact. The thought made Astrid gulp out of angry nausea. She wouldn't pass the test, she thought. She wasn't sure what would happen if she didn't, but she didn't want to think about what she did to avoid marriage. She was glad she did because it kept her for Hiccup, but at the same time, it was proving to be quite the issue.

The matrons pulled off her robe for her, leaving it hanging off her hips. She forced herself to refrain from punching one in the breast out of sheer annoyance and angst, knowing it would hurt more, and instead used her arms to cover her chest. Juniper, one of the matrons caring for her and Snowdrop on the side (who was staying with them as well and couldn't wait to make Hiccup her brother), grabbed Astrid's wrists gently.

"You must be proud of the gifts Freya has bestowed upon you. You must be willing to show them to your lover."

"You're not my lover," Astrid grumbled. Juniper sighed and smiled.

"Don't be afraid, I have them too. Come now, put down your arms."

It took a great deal of hateful determination, but eventually, Astrid dropped her arms and looked away as Juniper looked at her chest. She nodded once and smiled up at Astrid.

"They're lovely. That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Astrid huffed.

"I need you to take off the rest of the robe, child," Juniper said gently. Astrid looked down at the furry robe hanging there pathetically and didn't move for a time. But Juniper was patient. Astrid shakily untied the robe and let it fall. She squeezed her eyes as Juniper and some other matrons looked at her hips. They murmured to each other and Juniper smiled again.

"Not the widest hips, but they'll do just fine."

"My hips?" Astrid asked quietly. "What?"

"Wide hips means you could bear many children."

Astrid gasped, a sound caught in her throat. Juniper placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

"All in good time, Astrid," she said. "For now, bath."

"No, no no no, children?!" Astrid stammered. Juniper rested her hand on Astrid's back and smiled again.

"All in good time," was the repeated reply.

Juniper helped Astrid get into the tub. It was scalding, a feeling unfamiliar to her and very satisfying. It took her some time to get used to the way it hurt, but she soon let herself sit and slouch. Matrons washed her back, her arms, her shoulders.

"What do I do?" Astrid asked suddenly, looking for Juniper who was meticulously washing her hair.

"Hmm?" Juniper looked down at her with raised eyebrows and a calm mouth. Astrid sighed jaggedly.

"What do I do with him?"

Juniper smiled and leaned back. A giggle washed through the matrons.

"You bed him, sweeting."

Astrid squirmed but felt herself melting into the tub. "But how? What should I do? What should I expect?"

"Your mother never told you?" Juniper asked gently.

Astrid shook her head.

Juniper put more oil into Astrid's hair and breathed in the scent. "It will hurt. Tarnished or not, even by your own hand, it will hurt. You will feel full and maybe a little overwhelmed. It will be uncomfortable after that first painful moment, but that is normal."

Astrid nodded, feeling hotter in the water.

"You will need to get him to touch you first. That will make you ready for him. Freya will make it so. And when you are ready, lay down and relax and let it happen. It's a dance, an interaction that takes care and tenderness. But it is natural, and you will know what to do. Kiss his neck, his ear, rub his skin. Us Vikings are used to having our bodies covered. Expose the skin and touch it and you will have a happy husband."

Husband. Astrid shivered at the word and she let herself doze off as her body was cleaned thoroughly. This would happen for the next seven days and it was something she surprisingly looked forward to. She peeled open her eyes and looked over to a matron.

"Who is with Snowdrop?" she asked.

"The younger matrons and some of Berk's visitors," was the replied.

"Send one with Snowdrop to the Academy. They are having a game there that I cannot attend. But Snowdrop won't shut up about it."

* * *

Hiccup clapped in the arena as Vikings took turns firing arrows into makeshift bull's-eyes. It was a hilarious affair where frustrated and bulky Vikings tried to be accurate and instead missed the target with an appalling majesty. But he couldn't stop thinking about Astrid. It used to be that he would sometimes think about her, but these days, now that he was not allowed to say her name or sleep alone to keep himself from unvirtuous activities, he couldn't help but constantly think of her. There had been times when he almost walked into her path and a posse of watchmen formed from all the male villagers and visitors shoved a potato sack over his head to hide his eyes.

"You look unwell, my boy," Stoick said.

"I didn't get any sleep last night," Hiccup groaned. "Toothless ran off to chase some of the visitors hunting in the woods or something and he disappeared. I couldn't find him until sunrise."

The competition was in high-spirits before Stoick leaned over from his throne, his cheeks a bit redder than usual.

"Son… in one week you'll be married."

"I'm glad you haven't forgotten," Hiccup retorted humourously.

"Have the men talked to you, yet?" he asked gruffly.

"All I've heard is talk from men," Hiccup groaned.

"About your wedding night?"

Hiccup straightened his posture and flung his head around to look at Stoick.

"Alright, dad, uh, no but I'm sure, uh –"

"I want you to be ready," Stoick replied, just as flustered and uncomfortable as his son. The pair of them kept clapping at the target competition, their faces forced with the most awkward of smiles to keep an air of interest about them. "Do you know what to do?"

"It's not like I've ever tried it before," Hiccup said trough gritted teeth. "Can we talk about this later? Like, seventy-three years from now?"

"I'm not expecting you to start off having children immediately."

"That's not the point!" Hiccup wheezed.

"You're going to have be gentle."

"Gods, oh no."

Hiccup rubbed a hand over his eyes, his face on fire.

"I assume you take matters into your own hands, so to speak."

"Thor, save me from this torment."

"It's kind of like that, only… with Astrid."

"Stop."

"And if you don't want to have a child, simply bite your tongue and pull out and –"

"Aaand that's about as much as I can take!" Hiccup jumped from his seat and stepped away sheepishly. "Look, I know you're trying to be my dad right now, but I want to figure this out without the awkward talks about my body, let alone Astrid's."

Stoick's shoulders sank and a huge sigh flowed from his mouth. "Thank Odin, that was rough. Never again."

"HUP!" a tiny voice shrieked. Hiccup swiveled around and saw Snowdrop barreling towards him. She leapt into his arms and he lifted her up, hugging her fondly. Stoick smiled warmly at the sight. Hiccup pulled away and set Snowdrop down. Rose was behind him, scratching her arm and looking into the arena at the target practice.

"How's my Terrible Terror?" Hiccup asked. Snowdrop beamed.

"I'm good, Rose brought me to see the knives and I really wanted to see you and Astrid is having a bath!"

Hiccup blinked and coughed. "That sounds like fun," he chirped, trying to think cold thoughts.

Rose placed a hand on Snowdrop's head. "Now, Snowdrop, we are not allowed to talk about your sister in front of Hiccup."

"Oops…"

"It's okay," Rose laughed. "Would you like to sit with Stoick for the knife-throwing?"

"Okay!"

Snowdrop stumbled over to the throne Hiccup was previously sitting on and clambered up it. Hiccup looked over at Rose, heat poking at his face.

"You gave her my seat," Hiccup joked.

"It was the polite thing to do. It's custom from where I come from to offer your seat to the young."

"And where is that?" Hiccup asked. "Where is it you come from?"

"North," Rose replied. "A small island."

"Sounds lonely."

"Only because _you_ are lonely, dragon master," Rose smiled. "I heard you were running around last night hunting a dragon that is impossible to hunt during the night."

"…Oh?"

"The matrons were telling me," Rose giggled. "Did you find him?"

"He was at home," Hiccup sighed. "Stupid dragon bit his own tongue open in all the excitement, but it's not the first time that's happened. One big happy dragon and one tired rider."

"Hiccup!" Snotlout called from inside the arena. "Come throw some knives!"

Hiccup raised his hands. "I watch these things, I don't compete in them."

Rose raised an eyebrow and looked to Snotlout, who had two knives in his hands. Snotlout pointed at her with a blade.

"What about you, gorgeous? Wanna toss some metal?"

Rose bit her lip and looked to Hiccup. "Oh, I don't think that's a good idea –"

"Now I'm intrigued!" Snotlout laughed. "Come on!"

Rose rolled her eyes and looked at Hiccup. "Come with me," she asked dejectedly. Hiccup sighed and shrugged, ducked under the arena's chain roof, and landed in the arena. He backed up and spotted Rose as she jumped down on her feet lightly, shyly approaching the men who all had different knives. Hiccup hooked his thumbs in his riding suit and watched Rose carefully pull a throwing knife from the weapon's wagon, look at it, and looked to Snotlout.

Meanwhile, Hiccup felt hands grab onto his arms. Two huge men sportingly pulled his figure to the targets, tying him to a target. He squirmed and heard his father laugh. Hiccup growled. Berk's groom tradition: target practice with the man. The men backed up as Rose weighed the knife in her hand.

"A test of bravery, my boy!" Stoick bellowed. Don't worry, it'll be fun."

Hiccup pulled against the rope. "Great. One week before my wedding and you use me as a target!"

Rose timidly raised the dagger and looked terribly nervous and excited. "Don't worry, I'm a lousy shot!"

Hiccup choked and his eyes bulged out of his head. "OH. AWESOME."

She flung the knife and it twirled through the air. It didn't even hit the target, but that didn't stop Hiccup from clenching every part of his body. It hit the stone wall far from Hiccup. Hiccup relaxed a little, but Rose had another knife in her hand. She flung it again and it didn't do anything. She got one more knife and smirked.

"Practice shots," she said simply. "I'm warming up."

"By all means, take as long as you need while I sit here tied to a board praying that I'm not going to be killed a week before my wedding."

Rose inspected the blade of her knife closely, looking up at Hiccup. "You have to keep completely still."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "I'm sorta tied to a target. If I _could_ move, I would."

"I'm being serious, you can't move. I'm going to aim right for your face."

Hiccup blanched. "You know, you're a lot more menacing than you appear to be."

Rose smiled mischievously. "I get that from my mother."

Faster than any other time, quicker than a snake attacks its prey, Rose hurled the dagger at Hiccup. He gasped and the knife hit the board with a loud _thunk_. He felt a sting and froze. The knife had barely hit his neck. The blade had cut his skin ever so lightly, and Rose smiled again. The men in the arena clapped wildly as Rose ran to Hiccup. She pulled the knife from the board and touched his neck gently, giggling at the look on Hiccup's face.

"Reeeelax! You're fine," she smiled casually. She untied him and he sank to his knees, grabbing at his neck and glaring. Rose just shrugged. "I'm heading back to the matrons."

Hiccup was about to protest, to give her a piece of his mind, how the knife got too close, when Rose bent over and whispered in his ear. "She looks very beautiful in a bath."

And she ran off, leaving Hiccup with a small cut on his neck and a roaring heat in his ears.

* * *

Astrid breathed deeply. She entered Gothi's room with her shoulders back as she had been told to, her fur robe back over her naked body. She was told she would enter alone.

Gothi, the tiny and old elder, smiled at Astrid and motioned for her to sit on the sleeping mat in front of her. Astrid did so and felt nervous. Would she pass the test? She did not know.

"Astrid…" Gothi tasted the name on her lips. Astrid felt her breath catch in her throat. She looked up, bewildered. Gothi never talked. It just never happened. She thought she physically couldn't talk until now.

"Surprised? Most maidens are. Before a woman is wed, we bathe her. Then I have the honour of making sure they are ready for their new life. It is a ceremony that takes the most trust and care for a young woman before her first bedding. But, if I remember correctly, this is not the first time I have had to check you."

"… No."

"And why is that?" Gothi asked with genuine curiosity. "I have heard many stories..."

Astrid swallowed and took her time replying. "Because… five years ago, in response to a marriage contract, I took my own purity and I needed your hands to heal me."

Gothi nodded thoughtfully. Her withered face contorted into a gentle smile. "A very apt response, my dear. And you did a very good job of it. But as you know, a knife is not a man."

Astrid was quiet. Gothi motioned for her to lie down. She did so. Gothi sat at her knees and placed two withered hands on them. She gently parted them and stared.

It seemed like millions of years before she closed them and closed her eyes.

"It is hard to believe that I birthed you from your mother so many years ago," she sighed. "A beautiful child with one of the loudest voices I had ever heard… But that has never changed, has it?"

Astrid cracked a grin. "Do you know why you never married that other man?"

The question was out of nowhere. Astrid sat up, confused. "Why?"

"Because it was not meant to be. In other circumstances, I would have healed you and made sure your contract was honoured, but in this case, I saw another path for you. The gods showed me. And look at us now."

Astrid was quiet again.

"You will make a wonderful wife," Gothi said. "I know you may think yourself arrogant and blunt, but child, you have graciousness and tenderness about you that most women lack. Remember that. You have passed your test, you have not felt the touch of a man. I hope that when you do, it will be what you hoped."

"What of the damage I did?" Astrid asked, scared.

"That should not matter. You have adapted to the life you have given yourself. If you have enough trust for your husband, a bond formed through the harshest wars and the largest advances, then you will have nothing to fear. He is not someone you can live with. He is someone you cannot live without."


	9. Heat

_Hello, and Happy Friday! Thank you to all my followers and favourites, and especially to those who took the time to review. I love hearing how you think the story will evolve. :) Also, I've been working on fan art. If you have a scene you would like to see drawn, let me know! I am craving inspiration. 3_

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**Chapter Nine: Heat**

Hiccup couldn't sleep. He stared at the ceiling of the Great Hall, his home for the past month, tapping his fingers on his other hand. A few of the men were talking by the fire, all posted to make sure Hiccup slept and nothing more. They guarded him from himself, and that made Hiccup both uncomfortable and unreasonably frustrated. He kept staring at the rafters, counting the wooden foundation rafters over and over (forty-four, front to back) and he looked over at Toothless who was just as awake.

"Hey, bud," he murmured gently, scratching his neck. Toothless' eyes flicked over sharply. He was on edge, not being allowed to fly for an entire moon, his wings cramped from staying unused for so long. Supervised walks were okay, but flying was too risky. Hiccup could not be let out of sight, lest he run into his bride or go to some quiet corner to relieve himself from a buildup of angst.

Toothless groaned as Hiccup sat up, patting his head and smiling. He grabbed his dragon's mouth gingerly and opened it, looking at his tongue. "Tongue all healed up," he sighed. "Gods, it's so hot in here."

He kicked off his blankets and the men turned to see him.

"Ho there, Hiccup! Can't sleep?" Fishlegs laughed. "Excited for the big day tomorrow?"

"I guess you could say that," Hiccup muttered. To be honest, Hiccup was anxious. It had been a month since seeing Astrid's face, since kissing her on the sea stack, and it made him ache. He had never felt that, and his dreams were plagued by thoughts that made behaving too difficult to bear. He was scared that she wouldn't be there, too. That she would change her mind and forget about him. He shook his head and stood up.

"I need some fresh air," Hiccup said. "It's too warm in here."

"Is _that_ what you call it?" Tuffnut asked with a snort.

"Please," Hiccup groaned, annoyed. "Toothless needs to stretch his wings and I need a minute."

"No can do," Fishlegs sighed. "We have the sworn duty to make sure that nothing goes awry before your wedding."

Hiccup dug the palms of his hands into his eye sockets. "Seriously?"

"Did we stutter?" Tuffnut asked with a raised eyebrow. "Nope."

Hiccup groaned and Toothless' teeth emerged from his gums. He snarled and Hiccup placed a hand on his head. He smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, what do we have here? An angry Night Fury with a wing cramp?"

Hiccup gave Toothless a subtle wave, a command. Toothless shrieked and leapt forward, fanning out his wings in front of Hiccup. He clipped his foot into the saddle.

Fishlegs and Tuffnut both cried out in terror and jumped to the side. Toothless bounded out the door and Hiccup finally felt the relief of the night air on his skin, and more importantly, the loneliness of the wind on his face.

"Come on, bud, let's make up for lost time!" Hiccup whooped. Toothless let his tongue hang out as they shot through the air, faster than a catapult's thrust. They soared around the island, drinking in the air and staying hidden in the darkness. Oh, to be alone. Hiccup felt all the pressure of the month collect in his gut, deep and low and hungry. He felt his eyelashes flutter and he focussed on other things. Free or no, he would honour Astrid by not breaking that rule.

He hauled Toothless into the air, screaming into the wind, letting his voice crack. He could barely feel the cold on his skin. Toothless dove and the two spun out of control, the rush so wonderful and yearned for that the pair became exhausted very quickly.

They came to a hover, gliding over the trees of Berk, the two of them panting and sore.

"Take me to the cove, bud. I need a drink."

He let Toothless fly them there, moving his foot when he needed to, but keeping his focus on the sky above him. Finally, they landed in the familiar bowl in the earth. Toothless began drinking in the lake before Hiccup dismounted, cupped some water in his hands, and drank. He drank and drank for what seemed like forever before he turned and found Toothless hanging upside down, sleeping gently in the soft wind. Hiccup smiled and sighed. To see Toothless finally sleeping was nice to see.

Hiccup decided to walk back. He knew Toothless had a way out of the cove – he had constructed a ladder of sorts for him to get out years before – and casually walked through the woods.

He realized he was by himself, completely alone. He slowed his pace and licked his lips, eyebrows furrowed.

"Astrid."

He let her name flow over his tongue, the first time in weeks, savouring the sound and feel of it. He smiled and said it once more, quickening his pace. He was marrying Astrid in the morning. He would feast and dance and say her name as many times as he could and then when the sun set, they would be totally alone –

He felt a blinding pain in his shoulder blades, the wind knocked out of his lungs. He fell to the ground and groaned. He heard a gasp and feet skittering over the crunchy earth.

"_Hiccup_?!" a familiar voice hissed. Hiccup's head jerked upwards. He saw a figure cloaked in shadow, bright blue eyes illuminated by a tiny beam of moonlight. Astrid flung herself behind a tree as Hiccup made it to his feet. He ran to the tree. "Don't come any closer!"

Hiccup froze, on the other side of the tree, his hand on the bark.

"You hit me," he panted.

"I thought you were someone else," she spat.

"Has a moon made you forget me?" he asked.

"No, of course not. What in Thor's name are you doing out here?"

Hiccup bonked his head on the trunk, closing his eyes and trying his hardest to stay on his side of the tree. "I needed to be alone. I couldn't take it, I can't sleep and Toothless needed to be flown."

Astrid took a moment. "Ah. A minute alone."

Hiccup's eyes flew open. "No, no no no, not for that, I swear –"

"Uh huh."

"Seriously!"

"Sure."

"Astrid, I'm telling the truth!"

"We're getting married tomorrow," she breathed. She took another loud breath. "…I… I think it just hit me."

"Astrid?"

He heard her body slide down the tree. He almost moved around the tree before he heard her breathe again.

"Gods… I'm marrying you tomorrow."

"Is that a problem?" he asked carefully. "Because if it is…"

"No… it's wonderful. But gods…"

Hiccup nodded and sat down on the other side of the tree. He hugged his knees and rested his chin on his arms. "Yeah… it's kinda weird to think about, eh?"

"You know about tomorrow night?" she asked timidly.

"My dad tried to explain it to me."

"Sweet Odin."

"Yup."

"…Are you scared?"

Hiccup bit his lip. "By the fact that my knowledge is based on a conversation my dad tried to have with me in the middle of a knife-throwing competition where I became a target? Yeah."

Astrid laughed. Then she was quiet again. "I think I am, too."

"Hah. Astrid Hofferson, afraid?"

"It's not like I've done it before," she sneered.

"Hey, I haven't either. Remember, Stoick the Vast trying to be anatomically correct with me? It didn't really work out."

"Nightmares?"

"Nightmares."

They laughed again and sighed.

"How did you get loose?" he asked Astrid.

Astrid groaned painfully. "I made it look like someone was in my bed and I snuck out the back. I'd been listening to Olga chewing her bread crusts for the past two hours. For some reason, that was the tipping point."

"Gross."

"That's an understatement."

Hiccup nodded and sighed. He heard Astrid clear her throat.

"…Could you do me a favour?"

"Anything."

"I've been separated from you for an entire moon. And it's been so much harder than I wanted it to be."

"So?"

He heard Astrid move. "Close your eyes."

Hiccup jumped. "What? What are you doing?"

"I'm going to close my eyes and you're going to close yours. Okay?"

Hiccup laughed again and closed his eyes. He heard rustling as Astrid moved again.

"Keep talking to me, I can't find you in the dark with my eyes closed if you stop."

Hiccup smiled and lost his breath for a moment. "Uh… okay? My name is Hiccup, I am twenty-one winters old and –"

"Seriously? That's what you're going to say?"

"You were the one who told me to talk!"

"Couldn't you try something a bit more… I dunno… romantic?"

"Uh, I think you look good when you're filthy?"

"Do you want a fist to the face, my love?"

Hiccup laughed nervously and sucked in a breath. "Okay, okay."

There was some more rustling as Astrid made her way closer.

"I like what you said. Not the punching part, but the 'my love' part. It was nice."

Astrid scoffed. "I was being sarcastic."

Hiccup's smile fell. "You mean, you didn't mean it?"

"Well, I meant it…"

THere was a slight pause as they reminded themselves to breathe. Hiccup leaned his head to the side, quiet.

"Were you at all freaked out when I said that I loved you?"

"Were you telling the truth?" Astrid asked. She stumbled, but she was close. Hiccup grinned and moved as silently as he could, away from where her voice was coming from.

"Yes, I was being honest," Hiccup said.

"Then why would it freak me out?"

"Because when I said it, you never said it back."

Astrid stopped for a moment. "That doesn't mean anything… where the hell are you?"

"You know, a wife should love her husband, and should say it," Hiccup invited playfully, backing away from the tree.

"Hiccup, you know I feel the same way, now stop moving and stand still."

"Not until you say it!" Hiccup said. He had a huge smile on his lips. "Come on, Astrid, it's not hard."

He felt hands on his riding suit, and Astrid grunted. She shoved him down onto the frosty moss and he felt her frigid hands on his burning face.

"You're warm," she sighed desperately. The cold in her fingers touching the warmth of his body made her swoon in an innocent way.

"Say it," he repeated. "Say that you love me."

"Are you wearing a cloak? It's freezing out here," Astrid shivered.

"Say it."

"Stop telling me to say it!"

"Say it."

Astrid growled and squirmed on top of him. Hiccup forced himself to keep his hands off her.

"Fine," she spat, frustrated. "It."

"Very funny," Hiccup chuckled. "It's not that hard."

"I beg to differ," she replied.

Hiccup blinked and froze and bit his tongue. He tried to move his hips away from her, but that made it worse. "Awkward."

"Yeah."

"Do you want to move?"

"No, you're warm."

"Say it."

Astrid sighed and shivered on top of him. She was freezing, like a block of ice inside a sheath of flesh. She growled. "If I do, then what?"

"I guess you'll have to find out."

Astrid shivered again. "Fine. I love you."

"I'm sorry? I couldn't hear you."

"I love you," Astrid repeated. But it sounded softer. Hiccup took a moment to let those words enter his heart, to give his stomach a whirl, and he smiled gently. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Hiccup wrapped his arms around her and rolled them over. Astrid gasped as Hiccup pulled her cloak off.

"Hiccup, we can't –"

"Don't worry, Astrid, nothing's going to happen."

Hiccup pulled the cloak over himself and rested his body lightly over Astrid's. He buried his face in the crook of her cold neck.

"Tell me if I'm crushing you or something."

"…Okay."

He let himself down, rearranging their legs so they fit together comfortably.

"You're so cold," Hiccup said, concerned.

"I can't feel my fingers," Astrid admitted.

Hiccup reached between them and unbuckled his riding suit vest, opening it at the neck. He grabbed her hand and placed it inside his suit against his chest. Her fingers were like ice, and Hiccup was too warm to care. Astrid purred and nuzzled her face into his shoulder.

"Why are you so warm?" she asked, envious to return warmth to her fingers.

"To keep you from freezing. Is it working?"

"Mhmm."

They lied there for a time, listening to a distant river rush and the sound of their deep breaths. Hiccup didn't recognize her scent. It was flowery and soothing, but her scent was still there. He couldn't explain it. But he wanted to see her face. He resisted the urge to lift himself up and peer down at her, but when he heard her snore softly against his shoulder, he couldn't help it.

He gently lifted himself up and looked at her with his tired eyes. Her face was rosy, her lips pink and warm from their body heat. One hand was curled over her chest, the other still tucked against his chest. Her fingers twitched against his skin and he blinked. She was so beautiful when she slept. He smiledand lied next her, putting an arm under her head and pulling her against him. He told himself to not fall asleep, to let his betrothed sleep for a few hours. She looked exhausted. He let his eyes fall shut, convincing himself that he could stay awake.

But of course, Hiccup was startled by Toothless sniffing at him, pawing at him to wake up. He peeled open his eyes and saw that Astrid was gone. And the sun was rising. He leapt to his feet and whirled around, lost and confused for a moment before Toothless barked at him. He jumped into his saddle, clutching at the ropes.

"I can't be late for my own wedding, bud!" he said worriedly. And the two of them raced back to the village.


	10. The Day

_Happy Thursday! A personal shoutout to greenshade15 and Zippy for making me smile this week, and to all those following this adventure._

* * *

**Chapter Ten: The Day**

Hiccup scratched at his neck under the collar that was laced up to his chin. His loose shirt, formed to be tight around the forearms and waist, had not a single wrinkle. His leather pants hugged every part of his body. His hair had been brushed, oiled, rinsed, and brushed again. His crown was back on his head.

He pressed his fingers to his lips and swallowed. Snotlout snorted. "Feeling sick again, Hiccup?"

"Gods, I can't calm myself. I haven't been able to keep anything down."

"I was the same way with Wormha. Couldn't keep a trout down worth yak spit. Have you tried the bread?"

"I gave up food this morning. I was forced to eat a huge breakfast and I almost ruined dad's vest."

Hiccup shuddered and swallowed again. His heart was pounding as more and more villagers funnelled into the meadow that had thawed out that morning. Hours before, Hiccup had run over this meadow to get into the village, where he was snatched and scolded and lightly beaten for escaping. But he said he did not see Astrid or do anything questionable, so they focused on getting him ready for the wedding. They had tried to get him to keep eating, but Hiccup would vomit it up horrendously, living up to one of his middle names.

Stoick was giddier than a lamb, jumping to the other clan leaders and laughing with them. Hiccup was at the top of the platform, watching over everyone as Snotlout chuckled.

"You know, I was the one on her contract," he said. It was so quiet that Hiccup almost didn't hear it, but he turned and looked at him with furrowed eyebrows.

"What?"

"When Astrid was fifteen, that contract that made her go into the woods to… you know…? That was me."

Hiccup's jaw dropped. "Are you serious?"

Snotlout smiled. "Yeah."

Hiccup felt terribly awkward. He rubbed the back of his head and looked around uncomfortably. "You were… fond of her back then."

"Didn't stop my parents from finding someone else for me. I think it worked out for the best."

Hiccup nodded. "Do you think Wormha is better for you?"

"I'm not allowed to live otherwise," was the reply. Hiccup wasn't sure if it was a happy tone. But Snotlout smiled just the same and punched his arm. "Think you're ready?"

"I hope so."

Snotlout stepped back. "I hope so, too. Here she comes."

Hiccup tensed up everywhere and jumped so hard, he felt nauseous all over again. He saw Stoick stomp up the platform. He slapped his son on the back and rubbed his shoulders in excitement as the women began to enter the meadow. The sun shone through the clouds, parting them as Snowdrop led Astrid through the arch at the mouth of the meadow. The flower gate, or on Berk, a stone arch covered in vines and snowberries, welcomed her into the field.

The crowd parted and he finally saw her. Her hair, always in a braid but never cut, hung over her shoulders and ended somewhere around her hips. Her dress, dyed a pinky-red colour, bustled in the wind under a chest plate formed over her left breast to protect her heart. A heavy belt slung over her hips, the links in the shapes of dragon skulls. Her silver circlet was around her head and caught the sun, reflecting what felt like an angelic raindrop of blinding light straight into Hiccup's eyes. From her circlet were protrusions, spikes, that extended far into the air to look like a mighty crown, adorned with vines and leaves. She looked like a Nadder faerie queen. She looked at Hiccup and smiled as Snowdrop pulled her along, her tiny hand leading her down the pathway instead of her father.

Stormfly and Toothless reared onto their claws and roared into the cool air, piercing the sky and making the ground shake as Astrid made her way through the crowd in her magnificent crown, the vines hanging around her face with her hair. Snowdrop stopped and Gothi stepped into the path. She handed a bowl to Astrid, gently and gracefully. She ran a hand over it and the bowl lit into flame. Astrid bowed her head tearfully and Gothi shook her staff over her head.

Her path clear, Astrid strongly paced down the path with the bowl of fire in her hands, a symbol of the lives lost to her – her beloved mother and father – and the strength of the dragons who protected her, the fire within her soul and the fire behind her eyes. The symbol of the fighter.

A tear ran down her cheek as she clutched the bowl of fire and with a nail-biting ascent, she stepped up the platform. She did not step on her skirt, nor did she break her eyes from Hiccup's. She landed in front of him and she held out the fire to him. He cupped the bowl over her own hands and rested his forehead against hers.

"For my mother, for my father," Astrid whispered formally.

"For my mother," Hiccup reiterated.

They handed the bowl to Stoick, who bowed his own head, the horns on it fearsomely beautiful in the sunlight. Hiccup reminded himself to breath as he entangled his fingers with Astrid's.

"For my wife," Stoick murmured. Astrid and Hiccup squeezed each other's hands and smiled at each other. The ceremony began with a few words about Berk and its traditions, but Hiccup would never remember it. He spent that time memorizing Astrid's face, her eyes, the blue turning from azure flame into crystal ice in places. A stormy sea riddled with icebergs. Her thin lips over her filled cheeks, the single tear mark that stained her cheek.

"And for your vows," Stoick grunted. "A message to your loved one. Hiccup, you may begin."

"I, Hiccup Haddock Horrendous III, promise you everything I can give you," Hiccup began shakily, clutching onto Astrid for dear life. "My blades will protect you. My love will feed you. My heart will beat with yours. My soul will walk with yours. Astrid Sigourney Hofferson, I will be everything you had hoped for and more. If you are lost in the dark, I will be your star lighting your way back to me. If you are taken ill, I will be by your side until you wake. I vow my loyalty, my strength, my bravery, and my life to you."

Astrid stared, tears in her eyes once more.

"You are the beauty of my morning, Astrid," Hiccup said personally, deviating from the customary vows. "You are my only and my chosen. I will love you long after I am gone, after our dragons have taken flight to Valhalla and our bones are distant memories. I offer you all that I am and I will accept you for your entirety forevermore. Always and eternal."

The crowd murmured joyfully as Astrid parted her own lips, letting her tears rain down and not letting go of Hiccup's hands to clean them.

"I, Astrid Sigourney Hofferson, promise everything I can give you. My axe will protect you. My love will free you. My heart will dance with yours. My soul will love with yours. Hiccup Haddock Horrendous III, I will be your shield in battle. Your arrow in the field. Your passionate warcry in the face of our enemies. If you are stranded, I will draw you a map to find your way. I vow my determination, my courage, my rage, my love, and my life to you. You are the wonder of my world, Hiccup. You have been for so long. And now we can be together until we no longer wake. Always and eternal."

Stoick placed his hands over theirs emotionally and nodded at them. He reached into his vest.

"I have dreamt of this day for years. And to think, two moons ago, you were nearly killed by a Skrill. You saved Snowdrop, Hiccup, the sister to your beloved. I cannot think of a better arrangement than to see you continue to protect the Hoffersons. Normally, we would bestow the bride and groom with rings to unite them, to show the world of their union. But… after an unfortunate event with a ring and a dragon training mishap –"

Snotlout snorted and flaunted his left hand, which was missing the ring finger.

"– we have decided against that. Six years ago, my boy destroyed the void between Vikings and dragons, killing the Red Death queen and freeing thousands of dragons from the bonds of their tyrant. Astrid and Hiccup both are the most amazing dragon riders Berk could ask for, devoted to each other and their dragons."

Stormfly and Toothless shrieked again, elated and excited. Stoick pulled two chains from his vest.

"For Hiccup, I give you a scale of Stormfly's."

Hiccup bowed his head as the chain with the bright blue scale was set around his neck. Astrid smiled gleefully and she touched it gently. Stormfly chortled and seemed to giggle.

"And for Astrid, Toothless has offered one of his scales as well."

Stoick clipped it around her neck to avoid the spikes of her mighty crown. The black stood out over her breast, beautiful and shimmery. Hiccup touched a finger to it as Toothless barked again, tongue lolling.

A hiss entered the back of Hiccup's head. He tensed his neck and gasped jarringly. "_Looove_." The word made his spine crawl and his head began to ache. It echoed through his mind behind his eyes and he swayed for a moment as the word hummed and convulsed, twisted and layered and haunting beautiful.

He blinked and it was gone. Astrid was beaming up at him and he smiled back, not a single second passing. He shook it off with a roll of the shoulders and Astrid squeezed his hands again.

"And with that, I proclaim the pair of you wed, husband and wife, to ride your dragons over Berk and to sing your love high over the seas. As chief of Berk, in front of off all the witnesses gathered here today, I pronounce you married."

The meadow shook with cheering and laughter. Whoops and cries of jubilation stirred Hiccup to ecstatic tears. Overwhelmed and overjoyed, Astrid reached up and cupped Hiccup's wet face with her small hands. She laughed as she felt his cheeks flush through his smile.

"You're very warm."

Hiccup laughed and kissed her, picking her up and spinning her around. Stoick laughed and raised his hands to quiet the celebration.

"I'd also like to add something special before the gift-giving begins," Stoick grunted. The meadow hushed again as Stoick cleared his throat. "Astrid, your parents left you a few years ago. I only wish they were here to see how much you've grown into your spirit. In their honour, in the past moon that you two were separated and preoccupied, a house was erected in honour of your parents and my wife. You shall live there and raise a family there. But that leaves the question of Snowdrop."

Astrid's smile fell and she paled. Hiccup's stomach felt cold. If Hiccup and Astrid were married and in their own house, where would Snowdrop go?

"Hiccup is my only child… my wife was torn from me before I could have another and how I wished I had the chance to," Stoick explained sadly. "But now that you are leaving our home to be in your own, I have decided, with Astrid's grace, take Snowdrop in as my ward, to care for her and keep her safe until she grows old enough to be on her own. I promise to give her access to all she needs to become a dragon trainer. Nothing will change, but it will give her a home and food and hopefully… a person to look up to her next to the father she no longer has."

Astrid's face crumbled in front of Hiccup's eyes. She let go of him to embrace Stoick, leaping into his arms and taking him completely off-guard. Hiccup chuckled through his own emotions as Snowdrop peeked out from the crowd.

"On one condition," Astrid forced. "She marries who she wants, when she wants."

"You have my word."

"Thank you," she sobbed. All Astrid had been worried about was her sister's life. Living alone without their parents had made Astrid hunt for days on end for food, to stay up countless nights to keep her sister warm, defending her from nightmares all while trying to prevent starvation. "Thank you so much."

The gift-giving provided the newlyweds with a spectrum of items for their new home. Furniture, new weapons, material to build new inventions, a drawing table from Gobber accompanied with a mini-forge, countless blankets, food, and clothing. They were thankful for the turnout and the villagers graciously transported them to the Great Hall.

After the feast and dance – Hiccup had managed to down some food, but only a little as the excitement was not over – the couple was escorted to their new home on a high hill overlooking the sea stacks. Hiccup lifted Astrid into his arms and carried her inside albeit protests from her to put her down. Inside, they were shocked to find a home built to the perfect detail. Besides the space outside for two dragons, the room inside could fit both riders and their dragons and even more. The mini-forge was set up by the hearth where the cooking pots were, and the drawing table was nestled in a quiet nook by the back of the house. The rest of the walls were taken up by shelves holding their new weapons and old.

Upstairs was their bed. It was huge and covered in every single fur. Another hearth burned calmly and cupboards held their clothing. A huge dragon door sliced into the roof, engulfing a huge portion of the night sky. The covering for the door was tucked away in the rafters for when it snowed. Stoick and Gobber, as well as Gothi and Juniper, were waiting behind them, smiles wide. The couple turned to smile at them, but then they panicked.

There was only one reason why two men and two women, both sets representative of Berk, were waiting for them in their bedroom. Astrid and Hiccup looked at each other, alarmed and upright.

"Oh…"

Hiccup looked at his dad.

"So, uh…"

Stoick laughed and Gobber held his gut as laughter tore through him. Gothi smiled and Juniper giggled with them.

"Look at you," Stoick gasped. "Terrified!"

Hiccup frowned and Astrid couldn't help but snort.

"Hey, it's not like I know what I'm doing, but to have you watch?"

The laughter grew louder. "My boy, we don't _have_ to watch you. You two chose each other, I don't think it's necessary, but _your face_!"

Hiccup glared. "Yes, okay, thank you for that."

Everyone laughed as they left, the joke still at its peak until they were long gone.

It was just Hiccup and Astrid. They slowly turned to each other and held their breath.

"So… how are you?" he asked awkwardly. Astrid groaned and let her shoulders slump.

"This crown has been giving me a headache all day!" she began. She sat on the bed and kicked off her boots. She wriggled her toes as she tugged at her hair tangled around the crown. Hiccup sat next to her and tried to help her, but after a small argument and a lot of hair-pulling, Astrid got ensnared in the mess that was her crown and hair. Hiccup laughed and grabbed her hair, gently untangling it until he could pry the crown from her head.

She sighed as the weight was lifted and Hiccup lifted it in his hands. It _was_ heavy. He stood up and crossed the room to set it on a cupboard. When he turned around, he found Astrid reach up behind her, clawing at something. She harrumphed and fell face down on the bed, defeated by what looked like laces that tied her in.

"This dress, Juniper bought it from trader Johann, is so tight and I hate it."

Hiccup snorted. "So?"

"I can't get out," Astrid whined hilariously. "I ate so much and danced so much and mixing that with this stupid contraption – ugh! Get me out."

Hiccup lifted his hands. He shook his head and climbed onto the bed, taking off his boots and untying the strings. He pulled them loose over and over until it became upon enough for Astrid to try to wriggle out of. She stood up. She bent over to try to get the dress over her head but it was hopeless when it got caught around her shoulders. She hissed and ran about the room trying to get it off, revealed her knickers in the firelight. Hiccup howled in laughter, rolling over the bed as Astrid growled.

"I'm going to kill you," Astrid threatened as she fell over to get out. Hiccup lifted her back onto her feet, stifling his laughter and grabbing the skirt.

"Okay, I'm going to pull. Ready?"

"Just go for it."

Hiccup heaved back on the fabric and the two wrenched against each other. Suddenly, Astrid flew free from the confines of her wedding gown and staggered back into the wall. Her hair was wild around her face in all directions, hanging loose over her body. She was wearing simple trousers and a revealing shirt. Hiccup stared at the dress in his hands and looked back up at Astrid. He bit his lip. Astrid glared.

"Don't you dare," she hissed. Hiccup tried to stop, but the laughter flew from his lips. He kept laughing. Astrid cried out in anger and leapt at him. He gasped and threw the dress at her, scrambling over the bed. "Get back here, you troll!"

"Nope! I am a smart man!"

Astrid jumped onto the bed and hurled herself onto Hiccup. She rolled him over and pinned him down. A bunch of her hair fell into his face. He spat it away from his mouth.

"Since when did you have so much hair?" he asked her as she pinned him to the floor.

"I don't cut it."

"I noticed."

Astrid dug a fist into his ribs.

"Ow, ow! Okay, okay, I get it."

Astrid smiled wryly at him and cocked her head to the side.

"Well. We're alone. We're together. What shall we do?"

Hiccup sighed and ran his hand up her side. He buried his fingers in her hair and pulled her down, kissing her passionately, with more angst than he had felt in his life. Astrid's muffled gasp vibrated on his lips as he kissed her again. He rolled over, putting himself on top of her. She held onto him, kissing him deeply and yearningly. She parted his mouth open so she could taste his tongue, feel the tickle of it on her own, but suddenly, he was gone.

He leapt to his feet and called out of the dragon door. It was a Nadder call, and he heard Stormfly call from afar, signalling that she was en route. He spun to Astrid and scooped her up again. He kissed her even harder, but pulled away for another moment.

"We don't have to do anything tonight if you're not ready," he said quickly. "Okay?"

"…Okay," Astrid replied breathlessly, wanting to kiss Hiccup again. But she pulled back and looked at him with concern cloaking her brow. He put a hand on his cheek. "Hiccup, how long have you been warm like this? Are you sure you don't have a fever or something?"

Hiccup shrugged and smiled. "I feel wonderful. Astrid, we're married. How could I not feel perfect?"

He drowned her in another kiss and her eyes fluttered shut. She wrapped her arms around him and they rocked back and forth as they kissed as deeply as they wanted to.

Stormfly landed on the roof and cooed. Hiccup pried himself free from Astrid and climbed up the ladder to the dragon door.

"I want to take you somewhere," he said. Astrid grinned and grabbed her cloak and her boots. She seized Hiccup's wrist and let him haul her up. She sat in front of him, where he wrapped his arms around her. She found herself wishing her skin was bare and quickly shoved that thought to the back of her mind as they flew into the darkness.

Hiccup whispered in her ear where to fly, his warm hands slipping under her shirt and rubbing his fiery hot hands over her stomach. She squirmed as he buried his face in her shoulder, kissing her neck and running his lips over her shoulder. She cleared her throat and tried to fly straight.

He guided her up to a cliff face, telling her to land at an abandoned dragon nest. They were scattered about Berk like stars in the sky, and Stormfly landed on the ledge to let Hiccup off. Astrid jumped off, too, and motioned for Stormfly to fly around but to stay close. Alone in the cave, Hiccup grabbed her hands and looked over the sea.

"I found this place years ago. It's quiet and safe here."

"For what?" Astrid asked, raising an eyebrow. Hiccup glared at her and shook his head.

"Not that. But this."

He pulled her to the edge of the cavern. The sheer drop made Astrid nervous, but over the sky, the lights danced beyond the clouds. Greens and purples and blues, ribbons of divine light, cascaded over the spill of sky and Astrid gasped at the sheer beauty of it. This side of the island was much clearer, and the stars gleamed and the wind blew on their faces gently. Hiccup held her hand and turned her. He gripped the back of her neck and tilted her head up, kissing her lightly, teasingly.

Astrid could see the colours dancing over her eyelids as Hiccup's kisses, light as butterfly wings, trailed her lips, down her chin, the side of her neck. She hummed in her throat as his warm kisses sent her in to a quiet frenzy. He picked her up and gently rested her on her cloak, the heat from his body alone warming her. The quiet sound of the sea crashing into the cliff made them fall into a trance. He tangled her fingers in her hair as he kissed her hands, down her arm, spending time on her delicate wrists, her scarred knuckles. He kissed her collarbones and kissed her mouth again.

She purred and held onto him as he rested his body on hers. Gods, he was so warm, the heat radiating from his wedding shirt into her skin like sunlight. She kissed him harder and they rolled over. She was on top of him, unbuttoning his shirt to get at his chest. She felt his body, the bandages still covering the Skrill wound, and shoved it open so she could kiss down his body. Her cool lips made Hiccup make a sound he had never made before, and it made Astrid's stomach tighten.

She sat up, her breath laboured, and pulled off her undershirt. Her breasts were bound and covered, but that didn't stop Hiccup from having a reaction. He stared at her and ran his hands over her sides. He pulled her close again, running his hot hands over her back and digging his nails softly into her skin. Then, with a lot of thought and nervousness, Astrid pressed her hips down, pressing herself into Hiccup. He choked on a breath but kissed her deeper still.

She did it again and found her own joy out of it. Hiccup clutched at her, staggered breaths against her mouth making her moan against him. He ran his hands over her back and in a fit of heated frustration, he untied her bindings. Astrid clawed at them with him, heart racing and stomach cold, but when she was free, she immediately pressed her bare chest on Hiccup's. The heat against the cold, the cool against the warm, made the two of them shudder. Their kisses were harder, more determined, a competition between mouths hungry for something they had not yet tasted.

Astrid sat up and pull Hiccup up with her. Holding her against him, Hiccup moaned again, sweat beading on his forehead. But Astrid pulled away. It was not the kind of weather that allowed for sweat.

"Hiccup?" she asked hurriedly. She gave him a little shake and he pressed his fingers to his eyes. Astrid pulled her undershirt on hastily as Hiccup groaned again.

"Gods, you're burning up," Astrid whispered. His skin was too warm to ignore, almost too hot to touch, like a hot rock near a fire. Hiccup blinked again and scratched at his neck. In the light of the sky, Astrid could make out a very angry, red mark. It was blistering over his neck. She scrambled up and called for Stormfly. She raced back to Hiccup and ripped the rest of his shirt off.

"Hiccup, we need to cool you down! Is that a bug bite or something?"

Hiccup couldn't form a word, but he lurched and heaved to the side. Red splattered the wall of the cavern. Hiccup sagged to the ground, gasping for breath, clawing at his throat. Astrid cried out and hauled him up. He looked at her with sluggish alarm.

"Something's… wrong…" he wheezed.

Astrid gritted her teeth as she forced him to his feet. Stormfly flew to the opening of the cavern and chortled when she saw Hiccup sag against Astrid. His fever was getting worse, so much so that the heat began to burn Astrid. She forced him onto her dragon and sat behind him, diving from the cliff face and back to Berk, Astrid praying to the gods that her bad luck had not returned.


	11. The Bond

_New chappie for the week! Thank you to the readers and supporters of this story; every comment I hear about it is treasured and I am honoured to share this with you. They are never ignored. :)_

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: The Bond**

"No, no no no!" Astrid growled, straightening Hiccup in her saddle, trying her hardest to stay on Stormfly. The Deadly Nadder shot through the air. Her wing was cramping from the weight of Hiccup's weak body. He lurched again, more blood coating his hands over Stormfly's back. Astrid smacked his back to help him cough it up, but even touching him like that burnt her hand. She could hear the hissing of her flesh burning, and she cursed as they flew into the village.

Stormfly landed messily, throwing Astrid forward into Hiccup's bare back. She gasped as the heat burnt her cheek and she pulled away to get him off the dragon.

"Gods, oh gods," a gentle voice gasped from a dark alley. Astrid's head snapped over, desperate and sweaty.

"Help!" she screamed, knowing someone would be near. "Somebody help!"

The figure raced up to Astrid, who was trying to keep Hiccup on his feet, his arm making her shoulders blister. She gritted her teeth and sobbed against the pain. Another pair of hands reached forward and grabbed his other arm.

"We need to get him inside," Rose instructed, her brown hair spilling over her green eyes, her nightgown little protection against the cold of night and heat of Hiccup's skin. "Give him to me."

"He's too warm!" Astrid cried.

"Not for me, he isn't."

With surprising strength, Rose hoisted Hiccup's limp arm over her head and rested it over her shoulders, lifting the weight from Astrid, who had raw shoulders and blisters. Rose, tiny and gentle Rose, carried him into Hiccup and Astrid's home. She dragged him without aid – he made Rose's nightgown smoulder and singe – and rested him in a tub of cold water, already drawn and apparently ready for this purpose.

"We can't wake anyone," Rose grunted as she cut the belt of Hiccup's pants completely free with a perring knife. Astrid knotted her fingers into her hair, tears flowing maniacally.

"What is going on?" she choked.

"Help me get his pants off," Rose interrupted. Astrid hissed and paced around the room.

"What do we do? What do we do?!" Astrid repeated over and over.

Rose pursed her lips and squeezed her eyes shut. "Hiccup is burning faster than we can keep him cool. If you don't let me help him, Hiccup is going to die. Help me. Please, Astrid."

Astrid took a moment and nodded, dropping to her knees to help Rose with Hiccup. She pulled Hiccup's pants off, and seeing him naked didn't register with her at that moment. She only stared for a second too long; she never thought the first time seeing him would be like this. She put her hands on Hiccup's face, his fever scarring her palms, as Rose turned to Stormfly at the dragon door.

There was an intense look between Rose and Stormfly. Stormfly chortled and disappeared. Astrid looked back at Rose.

"What was that?"

"Your dragon needs to find ice. A lot of it."

"You didn't say anything!"

"ASTRID," Rose barked. "We don't have time for this!"

Astrid backed away as Rose turned Hiccup's head, revealing the blistered and infected wound on his neck.

"It settled quickly," Rose muttered. She cried out, a shriek of sorts, and Toothless slammed down the stairs. Astrid leapt out of her skin; no one could call Toothless but Hiccup, and yet here he was, tongue lolling and eyes in slits.

Hiccup's eyes snapped open and he choked on another wave of bloody vomit. It sprayed over Rose, who kept her eyes shut and her lips pressed tight. Astrid fell onto her back but Rose wiped the blood from her eyes. A huge clump of ice fell from the dragon door and Astrid ran to grab it. She threw it into the water to cool it down and Hiccup's eyes fluttered.

"It's happening," Rose spat. "Toothless –"

Desperate and full of bizarre panic, Astrid grabbed Rose by the hair and threw her into Hiccup's writing desk. The air left her lungs as the table careened into her gut, and she fell to the floor coughing. Astrid's eyes were burning with hatred.

"I don't know who you are," Astrid spat, "but you better start explaining things to me right now."

"Astrid, we don't have time!" Rose coughed.

"Then BE QUICK!" Astrid screamed.

Rose cursed and threw herself at Astrid, grabbing the knife with surprising agility and strength. She bent Astrid's wrist back, biting her arm until she let go. Astrid fell back and Rose snarled in her face.

"I come from a small island where terror creeps in the dark. The women are raped every night and the men are beaten with weapons you cannot even imagine. I have seen flesh torn off of children and my own mother forced to feed dragons to other dragons. And you know what I do? I keep more people safe with my knowledge, the discoveries I have made to keep people _alive_."

Astrid stared up at Rose, terrified at her hateful talk. "I have connections to Hiccup that I am in no position to speak about. If I do, my mother will be torn apart slowly by Whispering Deaths, turned inside out before my very eyes. Hiccup cannot be ignored and I know how to save him. So either you let me to save both Hiccup and my mother, or we can keep fighting and you can watch him die on your wedding night."

A small nod was the only reply Rose got. It was all she needed as she motioned to Toothless. She grabbed Hiccup's limp hand in hers and lifted it.

"Almost seven years ago, you faced the Red Death. When Hiccup fell from the sky. Makes you wonder, how did Toothless catch Hiccup as he fell? The story has been different everywhere, but it only makes sense in one way: Toothless willingly grabbed him with his teeth. He tried first with his gums, but Hiccup would have slipped, making Toothless' teeth cut into the skin and breaking his bone. He flipped Hiccup up and grabbed him, protecting him as they hit the ground, but breaking his leg clean off."

Rose ran her fingers over the wound on his neck, rubbing the clotted blood free to clean the gash. Astrid looked down at her, her heart racing as Hiccup began to pale.

"When he bit Hiccup willingly, _willful _venom entered Hiccup's blood stream along with blood from Toothless' gums. Willful venom has never been heard with any other dragon, but Toothless… saved Hiccup and created an unbreakable bond that dragons would talk about for years afterwards. A bond that extends the ties of friendship. The venom had a different effect than it would have if he had meant to poison. Instead, he meant to save him."

"How do you know that? How does this make sense?" Astrid growled.

Rose bent her head to the side, a horrendous scar wrapping over her shoulder and down her back. "A dragon heard about it and decided to… experiment with me. I was at the end of my life and I had my own companion that tried to revive me like Hiccup had been. Only I walked away with much, much more. It's a key to something much more powerful."

Toothless opened his mouth, showing a small scar over his tongue.

"I went to Toothless, knowing that I had one chance to try, and Toothless offered his venom and blood, which I myself put into Hiccup's system. It is rough, but if we do this right, Hiccup will be so much more than a dragon rider. And to be honest, he's going to need that if the tides turn like I think they will."

"How do you know all this about Toothless?!" Astrid said, exacerbated. "Where are you getting this from?!"

Rose smiled, Hiccup's hand in hers. "…Because, Astrid, I can talk to dragons."

Rose motioned to Toothless, who reared back and filled his mouth with flame. Astrid rolled and scream, reaching out to stop the Night Fury before he spewed the flames over Hiccup's body. The last thing Astrid saw was Hiccup lying aflame in the bathtub, his flesh sizzling in the heat, her body weak and faint. Then she felt the ground beneath her cheek, followed by darkness.

* * *

He was falling through the air again. The gigantic tail of the Red Death swooped down as the dragon collapsed on itself. He pulled on the rein, but it was no good. Toothless' tail was gone and the Red Death crashed into him. But he did not faint. He was wide awake, watching his own body fall down into the cloud of fire. He reached forward, and felt the teeth crunch into his lower leg. It snapped as Toothless wrenched him up, flipping him into a pair of scaly arms. The pain was immense, his leg was bleeding, but the fire around them burnt the stump closed. Hiccup screamed and Toothless crashed into the ground, sending Hiccup into darkness.

The heat was all around him, the fire burning his body. His neck hurt, his body trembled. He wanted to die. He wanted to fly. He wanted to jump into a fire. He wanted to never wake.

"_Looove_!" The hiss screamed through his soul and he cried out.

* * *

Suddenly it was quiet. Astrid forced herself to sit up, but hours had passed after what felt like minutes. Her shoulders had been bandaged and slathered in ointment, along with her hands. Her hair was braided for sleep, which apparently happened. She was in her new bed. She whirled around and found Hiccup sleeping. His neck had no blemish upon it and he was curled up next to her, snoring soundly. She gasped and almost shook him awake, but something made her stop. She merely reached over, running a finger over his cheek to see if he was real. He was. She glared and slipped out of bed, grabbing her cloak to find Rose and get a better explanation.

* * *

"_Looove_!"

Hiccup peeled his eyes open, rubbing his head. The words crashed into his head again, making his head throb.

"_Waaake._"

He forced himself to sit up, feeling different and strong, not remembering the events of last night. They went to the cave and then nothing.

"_Waaake._"

Hiccup groaned under his breath, shaking his head and too groggy to make out anything logical.

"_WAAKE_!" the voice screamed Hiccup jumped.

"Gah! I'm awake, I'm awake!"

He looked around the room, but there was no one there. His bed was empty – where was Astrid? – and he caught the gaze of Toothless, who sat at the foot of his bed looking terribly anxious.

"_Saaafe_." the voice rumbled. Hiccup's eyes widened.

"…Toothless?"

"_Heelllooo._" Toothless forced his mouth into a smile. "_Hello_."

Hiccup scrambled back and hit the headboard as Toothless cooed and cocked his head to the side.

"_Hello._"

Hiccup swallowed. "…Uh, hi bud."

Toothless jumped up and perked his ears into the air. "_Bond_."

Hiccup's head was filled with fiery memories of his neck cut by the knife at the knife-throwing competition, being so warm, being sick all day at his wedding.

"_Bond_."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "You can talk to me…"

"_Hello_."

"Hi, yes, hello."

"_Hello._"

Hiccup couldn't help but smile. "I guess you're pretty excited about this, hey?"

"_Happy_."

He smiled again and Hiccup laughed. "I guess… I could get used to it. But how?"

"_Rooose. Rose. Kin. She speak. We speak. You speak. Kin._"

"Rose?" Hiccup rubbed his forehead and shoved his blankets off. He squeaked. "Where are my pants?"

* * *

Astrid flew Stormfly to the docks and leapt off, looking back and forth for Rose. Many of the clans had left already. She marched over to Gobber who was helping another ship set sail.

"Where is Rose?" she asked harshly.

"Ah! Good morning, Astrid? Have a good night?" he asked playfully.

Astrid frowned. "Long story. Where is she?"

"She sailed off with trader Johann early this morning. Looked to be in a bit of a state. But she's gone home."

Astrid clenched her hands into fists and huffed. Stoick noticed her bandaged hands and motioned to them.

"Had a bit of an accident?" he asked.

"Just a weird night. I'll see you later, Gobber. I'm heading home."

Astrid flew back to her house and entered the house, quick to rush up the stairs to see if Hiccup had woken. What she found was Hiccup trying to pull on his pants, being quite unsuccessful as Toothless bounced around the room, shaking the floor, and that combined with Astrid gawking at him while he tried to cover his nudity, Hiccup fell on his face.

"Good morning!" he stammered. "I'm sorry, Toothless, grab me a –"

Toothless dropped a blanket over Hiccup.

"…Thanks."

Astrid stared and Hiccup looked up at her, struggling to his feet. She crossed the room slowly and his smiled faded.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "Your shoulders, your hands… what happened?"

Astrid's lip quivered. She raised a hand and slapped Hiccup across the face.

"Don't you _ever_ scare me like that Hiccup!" she shrieked. Hiccup held his cheek and stared, bewildered. "You almost died, I watched you AGAIN!"

"What?" Hiccup gasped. "I feel fine."

"You were dying!" Astrid screamed. "That _bitch_, that girl that was always getting close to you, she _poisoned_ you!"

"Wait, what? Rose? How?"

"That knife-throwing thing! That little cut on your neck turned into a festering monster!"

Hiccup swallowed. Astrid paced about the room.

"And when you passed out – _after puking blood_ – I dragged you home and guess who was waiting for me! HER! And she forced you into our tub while you kept puking and groaning and DYING, saying shit like she knew how to talk to dragons, that she talked to Toothless about your leg and how that created some sort of infection that would last seven years – THE POINT IS YOU WERE DYING!"

Hiccup stared at her as she rubbed her eyes, trying to get a deep breath. She sucked in a lungful of air.

Hiccup licked his lips and looked at Toothless. He grimaced and asked quietly, "She said she could talk to dragons?"

"IS THAT THE ONLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF INFORMATION YOU GOT FROM THIS?!" Astrid shrieked. Hiccup staggered back.

"I can hear Toothless!" he blurted. Astrid froze and Toothless nodded at Astrid. She looked between the two of them and scoffed.

"You're lying, that's impossible."

"No, Astrid, listen to me, it doesn't make any sense, but I _remember_ falling and losing my leg because Toothless does. We can talk and sometimes he can tell what I'm thinking!"

Astrid scoffed again and she looked terribly angry. She shook her head and closed her eyes. Toothless took his leave and leapt out of the dragon door, leaving Astrid staring at Hiccup. She waited until she was sure Toothless was gone before closing her eyes.

"None of this makes sense… you were burning so hot that you burnt my hands, my shoulders, and I had to watch you, _my husband_, go through wave after wave of pain… and yet you have nothing wrong with you. No cuts, no blisters. And now you can talk to Toothless."

Astrid wavered and sagged to the ground. Hiccup jumped and raced across the room, grabbing her and steadying her. He lifted her into his arms, making sure his blanket didn't fall off, and he carried her to the bed, kissing her forehead. "I'm sorry I scared you, Astrid," he whispered. He rested her on the bed and crawled next to her. He put the blanket over them.

"You're still warm," she muttered.

"Not worrisomely," he added with a grin.

"You're also naked."

Hiccup backed away awkwardly. "Yeah, about that… I woke up without my pants and while I know last night was a bit of a mess, did we…?"

Astrid smiled softly. "No."

She pressed her body against his and breathed in his scent.

"I love you," she whispered. "But don't do that ever again, or I _will _kill you."

Hiccup chuckled and nodded, kissing her forehead and rocking her back and forth, whispers of Toothless echoing in his head.

After hours of snoozing and cuddling, Hiccup woke up to the tickle of lips on his neck. He purred as Astrid pushed him onto his back and kissed his neck. She lifted her head, her cheeks red.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked.

"Mhmm."

Astrid smiled and kissed his neck again, but with force, making his neck tense up and his throat seize. He gasped and ran his hands up her body as she kissed his neck and led her own way to his mouth, kissing him heatedly. He groaned through his teeth when she bit his lip. She pulled away suddenly and shook her head.

"I'm sorry. You've had a long night and I shouldn't –"

Hiccup grabbed the back of her neck, tangling his hand in her braid, and crushed her mouth with his, his body on fire with pent-up passion. She moaned into his mouth as their lips parted and met again, tongue exploring each other. Hiccup flipped them, careful to keep her bandages clear of pressure, and dragged his tongue down her smooth neck to her collarbone. She wriggled about, parting her legs so he could lie between them.

He lifted her shirt and kissed his way up her belly, tugging at the laces expertly with his fingers and freeing her from her clothing. She wiggled out of it and Hiccup grabbed the bindings around her breasts. He pulled them free and kissed her breast, making her gasp and purr and giggle. He laughed gently against her skin as he ran his hands over them softly, up to her cheeks where he kissed her again.

With a deep breath, she reached between them and slowly ran her hand down his stomach, over the bandages from the Skrill attack. She felt it tighten and she paused, but when he didn't stop kissing her, she reached the final distance and touched it. He arched his back and shuddered. She stared at his face as it contorted into a face of pleasure. She loved it and gently moved her hand, making him shudder over her over and over again. She grew warm inside and kissed him again. She was amazed by how it felt in her hand – she hadn't really gotten a good look at it, but she didn't think it would be like this – and she yearned for more.

Hiccup gasped again and reached down, pulling her trousers over her hips. He had to lean to the side so she could kick them off, but when they were finally off, keeping their eyes shut tight and their kisses deep, he reached down and rested his fingers on her.

She gasped and choked from the simple touch, but Hiccup kept kissing her, carefully and lightly moving his fingers so she would squirm and forget to move her own hand on him. She wondered if it felt different than he expected, if he felt her scars or was put off by the feel of it, but he kissed her deeply. With one of his fingers, he slipped inside and she tensed up. He buried his face in her shoulder gently.

"Are you alright?" he asked, almost silent. Astrid nodded and let herself relax. It was a small sting, but nothing surprising, and he moved slowly, gently, and she moaned into his hair. He moved at a pace that made her shiver and she squeezed her own hand to make him groan.

He pulled himself over her again and stared at her. He ran his eyes over her body, his hands by hear shoulders and her resting on her stomach, feeling lost and somehow useless.

"You're beautiful," he murmured.

"So are you," she replied shakily.

He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to."

Astrid swallowed and caught her breath. "We wouldn't be."

Hiccup smiled against her fingers. "I can't say I wouldn't mind, either."

There was a tense silence as they looked at each other, their bodies resembling new paintings to be looked at and enjoyed. She pulled on him to rest on top of her. She felt it against her and she caught her breath. Hiccup's eyes flickered and he bit his lip.

"Are you sure?"

Astrid froze, but nodded timidly. "Just…stop if I need to."

"Anything you want, my love."

He kissed her and lifted himself so he was in the right position. Astrid reached between them to guide him.

"My wife," he whispered against her lips. The word made her smile. He put some weight against her and she moved her legs higher to ready herself.

They sucked in a breath together and held it, kissing each other and closing their eyes. With one more second of silence, Hiccup moved his hips forward slowly, and Astrid squeezed her eyes shut as the pain shot through her gut. The sting of his body filling hers made her hiss a breath through her teeth. Hiccup groaned loudly and kept himself propped up on his elbows, kissing Astrid to keep himself from making any more sound. He tried his hardest to sty still so Astrid could get used to it.

Astrid relaxed herself and moved her hips, begging for some sort of movement. Hiccup moved slowly, keeping in pace with Astrid as she got used to the pain, the groan of discomfort replaced with the gasps of pleasure. She wrapped her arms around him and felt his body, his muscles, with her hand and finding sheer joy out of feeling his shoulders tense with every soft thrust and shudder. They were the same person, they were finally complete.

They didn't dare change positions for their first venture, scared to give Astrid anymore pain than was necessary. But she gasped his name and he moved faster, pushing deeper and grinding himself into her, making her sigh and gasp. He choked on her name, the feeling of heat and Astrid's body making his stomach clench. He moved even faster, moaning and tightening everywhere. He was reaching the peak, she was reaching the peak, they were finding it hard to breathe, to slow down, their hearts racing in unison.

Astrid cried out in pained pleasure, wriggling as Hiccup gasped and pulled himself away just in time. Heat spilled over Astrid's stomach as Hiccup gritted his teeth and groaned. He shuddered violently and relaxed, breathing in as much air as he could, Astrid following suit.

They rested their sweaty foreheads against the other and both gave a bout of breathless laughter. Hiccup kissed her sloppily and looked between them.

"…Oh… Oh dear," he laughed. He reached over the bed to grab his pants and mopped up the mess. Then he pulled Astrid against him and sighed happily. Astrid giggled and nuzzled into his chest.

It hurt. She knew it would. But it was a pain that she enjoyed, a pain that told her she had made it. She had given herself to someone gentle and loving, kind and honest. She knew she loved Hiccup, and now that she knew him more than anyone else ever would, she found herself enraptured and blessed by the gods themselves. Hiccup was alive, and Hiccup was her husband, and Hiccup proved to her that the damage she did to herself didn't change anything. That made her world perfect.


	12. Dreams

_Happy Thursday, as always! Some elements from the television series are included; if there are references you don't understand, message me and I'll let you know what's up!_

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Dreams**

"Come on, bud, don't be shy. Try again."

Hiccup, his legs crossed on a boulder near his house, stared intensely at Toothless. The Night Fury cooed and kept his head down. His ears were pressed against his head and his wide eyes didn't make eye contact. He was embarrassed.

"_…A…Ast…_"

Toothless growled and stomped. Hiccup raised his hands and leapt off the boulder. He rested a hand on Toothless' head and smiled. "It's okay. Only _I_ can hear you. It's not like anyone is going to make fun of you."

Toothless looked up and huffed. "_Hard. Much hard._"

"Very hard," Hiccup corrected.

"_Very hard_," Toothless repeated. He perked up when Hiccup nodded and sat up straight. "_Ast… Astrii…_"

Hiccup urged him to keep trying, keeping a hand on Toothless' snout.

"_Astriii… Astrid… Astrid_!"

"You did it!" Hiccup cried as Toothless bounced up and down.

"_Success_," Toothless quipped.

Hiccup squinted and stared at Toothless, a smile on his lips. "Can you hear my thoughts, too?"

"_Bond_?" Toothless asked silently. "_Very new. Very strange. Much time._"

Hiccup licked his lips and scooted closer. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but Astrid rounded the boulder and laughed. Toothless perked up and repeated her name over and over, giving Hiccup a massive headache immediately. Astrid stared, lips parted, as Hiccup calmed Toothless, laughing painfully.

Astrid smiled and watched Hiccup in trousers and a fur vest – a difference to his riding suit, and a gentle reminder of his younger years – jump around, waving his arms madly. She leaned back on the rock while Hiccup motioned to the village. "Go have some fun, bud."

Toothless' shoulders seemed to sag, but Astrid grinned and rested a hand on his snout. "It's alright, you can have him back in a while."

The Night Fury trotted off, supposedly heading to the river or perhaps the Academy. Astrid slowly turned to Hiccup and her smile wavered. Hiccup looked at her up and down, noticing her plain clothes and her furry blanket pulled from their bed. Her hair was in its thick braid. He shifted from foot to metal spring, the squeak of his prosthetic leg breaking the silence.

"Hiccup, I don't know about this."

Hiccup groaned. "Astrid, it's just a little practice!"

"No, Hiccup, it's more than that," Astrid pressed. "Aren't you thinking about what happened?"

Hiccup shrugged guiltily and looked up. "I'm working with what I have."

Astrid neared him and grabbed his face. She kissed him and pulled away, keeping her warm hands on his cheeks. "But what you have was cursed upon you by some girl who came from gods know where and after almost killing you on our wedding night, and gave you… this trick of hearing Toothless?"

"It's not a trick, it's real," Hiccup replied. "And I don't know why Rose did it, or why she didn't warn me, but I have no other option than to begin living with it."

Astrid frowned. "You still don't remember anything?"

Hiccup raised his arms and rested them on hers. "She was a harmless girl."

"You weren't exactly in the right mind to remember what I had to see," Astrid muttered. "And she said things about her home that made my skin crawl. Things about people getting hurt and dragons being food for other dragons."

Hiccup swallowed and looked over the valley before looking back. "We've been at peace for years. The dragons are free for us to train, no one has attacked us after the Outcasts fled…"

"So then where did Rose come from?" Astrid asked firmly. "If she comes from a place as dark as she described, wouldn't you be worried? What if she's an enemy?"

"An enemy wouldn't have done this to me," Hiccup defended. "She gave me a gift that I can use! Talking to Toothless connects us more, either as a weapon – which will never happen – or as a defense. My enemy would have killed me with poison, not make me better than I already am."

Astrid looked away and rubbed her forehead. She was pained, troubled. She stepped away and walked back into the house, leaving Hiccup behind to look over the ocean. He wanted to tell her he wasn't sure about the situation, but at this time, nothing told him something was amiss.

* * *

Training Toothless took more than three months of hard determination. Hiccup spent his weeks scouting the island as usual, teaching Toothless how to speak in short sentences, and loving Astrid in the comfort of their own home. They had arguments about Toothless, but eventually, the hubbub died down. But no one else knew about the development; only Astrid, Hiccup, and Toothless knew about Rose's strange gift.

They were lying in their bed, months after their wedding day, the chaos calm and quiet, when Hiccup groaned quietly in his sleep.

He was flying, but not as a rider, a dragon. It was cloudy. Rumbles shook his bones. His wings were tired. His body hurt. Something stung his back. Slashes, bruises. He wanted to go home. Where was home? But if he didn't fly, he would die. Why would he die? He dove through the clouds. His target was below. Berk. Flashes of lightning streaked the air, danced on his body, filled his mouth. He didn't want to. He had to. Why? The arena, the place smelled faintly of blood and death. A scream, a tiny girl screaming. A man, another dragon. Night Fury? The Dragon Saviour? Is that him? No, I have a mission, a mission, if I don't, I will die. Kill the Saviour. Must I? No. Kin. Bond. She said don't. She is kind. But I will die, the others will kill me. He is running, the Saviour, I must kill him. I swipe, my wings are sharp and true. I don't want to. I hit him, I smell his blood. But he protects the child. Saviour, true and kind, like her, he saves her. I must leave. I must go. I will die. Saviour lives. But I will not tell. I will say he died. I will lie. I must lie. I will die. I will die. I will die.

"_HICCUP_!"

Hiccup gasped, his eyes snapped open. Astrid was on top of him, her strong arms holding him down. He tried to get a breath down and sucked in the air as Astrid gave him another shake. Hiccup sat up and clutched Astrid's body to his, burying his face in her chest, gasping her name over and over.

"Hiccup, gods, what is going on?" Astrid asked breathlessly. Hiccup squeezed tighter, trying to breathe.

"The Skrill!" Hiccup cried. "The Skrill!"

Astrid ran her hands through his hair as his body broke into shivers. She rocked him back and forth, staring at the wall behind him.

"I saw him, I saw me, how he hurt me, gods, he said he was going to die, I was in so much pain –"

"Shh," Astrid whispered. "Shh, my love. The Skrill is gone. You are safe with me. I won't let anything hurt you. No pain."

Hiccup held her tighter than he ever had, letting her coax him back to sleep, his body covered in sweat. Toothless, meanwhile, was outside, staring over the waves of the ocean, his eyes in slits and his teeth bared. He knew something was wrong. Something was shifting. Something was starting.

* * *

Tired and shaken, Hiccup and Astrid marched over to the Great Hall, knowing Stoick and Gobber would be there breaking their fast. They walked without words; Hiccup had been thinking of the nightmare in detail while Astrid swallowed a wave a nausea down. She had a hope from the feeling, but pushed it aside.

They entered the hall and met Stoick at his table with Spitelout. Stoick noticed them and grinned.

"Ah, morning my son!"

"We need to talk," Hiccup said sternly. The tone was unfriendly and his eyes were serious. Stoick blinked and raised his shoulders. Spitelout shot a glare to Stoick, and Astrid cringed; no one talked to the chief like that. No one.

"Aye, speak."

Hiccup took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes, unsure of where to start. The other villagers saw the interaction and began to move away while Gobber approached. Vikings knew when they were needed and unneeded.

"During our wedding celebrations," Hiccup began shakily, "one of the guests did something to me."

Stoick and Gobber looked at each other and looked back, unsure of how to respond. "That was as vague as you could make it, boy," Stoick grumbled. "I'm going to need more than that."

"That's all we can tell you," Astrid replied. "We don't know what she did besides poison him."

Stoick's eyebrows raised sharply. He looked at Hiccup up and down before Hiccup raised his hands. Hiccup continued.

"She inflicted this… capability upon me. I grew ill, I went faint, and then I woke up. Astrid told me what happened, and when I woke up, Toothless…"

He was silent until Stoick motioned for him to continue. Toothless bumped against Hiccup's legs to urge him to keep talking.

"I woke up and I could hear Toothless," Hiccup said painfully.

Stoick furrowed his brows, truly confused. "What are you saying, lad?"

"He's saying that Toothless can talk to him," Astrid explained. "Their minds are connected through what Toothless calls 'a bond' that this guest created between them through what I think was poison."

Gobber scoffed. "That's… not possible."

"Apparently, it is," Hiccup groaned, "but that's not the important part; I can explain that later. Since this happened, I have been having dreams, dreams where I can see from the eyes of Toothless usually."

Stoick sighed loudly, trying to understand. "Usually?"

"Last night, I had a dream of the Skrill," Hiccup muttered. "The Skrill that attacked me."

Stoick gritted his teeth and Gobber squinted.

"It's never happened before, I have always dreamt of Toothless, but this dream was back when I was hurt, and I think the Skrill wasn't working alone."

Gobber leaned in, his interchangeable hand – now a mug – hit the table. "You mean there are more Skrills lurking about yearning to get a piece of you or something?"

"No, I mean I think he was sent," Hiccup replied.

There was another look between the two men and Toothless perked up to see their reactions. They were speechless for a time until Stoick looked down at his plate, thinking.

"Son, this doesn't make much sense."

"We know," Astrid replied. "We weren't going to say anything so long as it stayed peaceful, but the dreams have never been wrong. Because they're not fake, they're actual perspectives."

"Even if the Skrill was sent, who would do that? We've been at peace for years!" Gobber exclaimed.

"Years ago, we found a Skrill in a block of ice, remember that?" Hiccup asked hurriedly.

It was true. Just months after learning how to walk again, Hiccup and Astrid found an iceblock with a Skrill frozen within. They excavated it carefully and brought it to Berk to make sure it was in fact a Skrill when the twins – who else? – freed it, where it wreaked havoc upon the village and dragons.

"And after it got out, we had to pursue it to freeze it again because we couldn't train it. But there was also another party there trying to break it out."

"The Berserkers," Stoick growled.

The Berserkers were the naval threat to the alliance. Living on a thousand warships manned with deranged and blood-lusty men and women, they used to sail the ocean searching for wild dragons to hunt just outside the borders of the alliance. Hiccup and Dagur had met a few times, on islands in neutral territory, where Dagur would try to kill Toothless for sport, Hiccup getting in the way at the last moment each time.

"Dagur. We haven't seen his awful face in years. Which is why I'm not understanding this clearly. You tell me you can talk to Toothless, that's one thing. But to propose that a long-lost enemy who has been lost to the alliance may have sent it to kill you is another thing in itself."

Gobber slurped his mead and nodded. "The man couldn't do anything with a wild dragon even if we all held his hand and gave him the book."

Hiccup frowned. "The Skrill was trained."

Gobber coughed on his mead and Stoick blinked. The chief stood up and lumbered over Hiccup. "_What_?"

Astrid, holding onto Hiccup's arm, pulled back her shoulders bravely. "The Skrill was sent by a trainer to kill Hiccup."

Hiccup pressed his palms against the table, hanging his head, trying to stay calm. "This Skrill wasn't trained like _we_ train dragons, when I was dreaming, I felt like I had been beaten, whipped even. And he knew if he didn't kill me, he would die instead."

The men all shuddered uncomfortably at the thought. Dragons had become so embedded in their lives that the thought of hurting them was repulsive.

"Then why didn't he kill you?" Gobber asked. "No offence, but that dragon should have been able to rip you apart more effectively than he did."

"He… he didn't because he called me a Saviour. The Dragon Saviour. And when he saw me protect Snowdrop, he suddenly refused to. He smelled the blood and chose to spare me."

The men were quiet for a time, and even Astrid stared at Hiccup with her lips parted. Hiccup stared into his father's eyes.

"I... will look into it," Stoick sighed. "At least to calm your nerves… I will arrange to send out a party to make a search for the Armada. That is, of course, assuming he even has one. I was hoping that ass-rat was long dead with how quiet he's been."

"Quiet isn't his style," Gobber mused.

Stoick motioned over to Spitelout to give instructions, but paused and looked back.

"Who was that villager that did this to you?" Stoick asked.

Astrid gritted her teeth and spat the words in sudden anger. "Rose. She came without escort or companions and was the first to leave."

Stoick nodded and looked over to Spitelout again while Hiccup looked to his wife, unsure if he was pleased that Stoick knew what Rose had done. Spitelout lumbered up, readjusting his belt. He had gained some weight in the peace-time.

"Spitelout, prepare your boy and the twins to search for the Armada, and Dagur. Just stay away from Outcast Island. I'm not happy with how these strange events are happening again."

Spitelout sighed and nodded. A patrol had not been sent out beyond the island for years and those who would fly out hadn't kept up on their training as per requirements. At least not the elder soldiers.

Hiccup straightened his posture and squared his shoulders. "I'm going with you," he stated.

Stoick turned from Spitelout to stare at his son, giving him a strange look before nodding once. "Very well. You leave tonight at sundown, especially if you want to come back by morning. I don't want you out there longer than that, understood? Just… be careful."

Hiccup nodded and spun around, heading out of the hall and leaving it in a loud commotion as the patrol was chosen and informed. Astrid grabbed Hiccup's arm and kept pace with him.

"I'm coming with you," she said. Hiccup shook his head.

"You can't, Astrid. We'll be flying over water, and Stormfly's wing keeps cramping."

"I'll ride with you, then," Astrid argued.

Nearing their house, Hiccup grabbed her hands and pulled her inside. He looked into her eyes fiercely, his heart twisting. He became enraptured in her icy blue eyes, her pink lips, her large cheeks, her blonde hair that was never perfect or tidy. He kissed her and held her hands to his chest.

"I can't risk that, my love."

Astrid sneered and shoved his hands away. "Don't you 'my love' me, Hiccup Haddock Horrendous! I can handle it!"

Hiccup sighed in frustration. "It's not because I think you can't handle yourself, trust me, I know better than anyone else that you can."

"Just because I married you, sleep with you, doesn't make me soft. I want to come with you," Astrid groaned. Hiccup winced at the comment and Astrid grabbed his face. She glared at him. "I vowed to stay by your side, no matter what."

Hiccup bit his lip and smiled, pressing his forehead to hers and sighing gently.

"If anything looks amiss with Stormfly, I'm sending you home."

"That won't happen," Astrid said, grinning. Hiccup stepped away to retrieve his riding gear but suddenly, he was pressed against the door, his mouth being attacked by hers, hungry and passionate. Hiccup gasped as Astrid moaned against his mouth, and he grabbed her clothes and pulled them off.

In the back of his mind as he and Astrid made love on the floor, he realized that she had been doing this… a lot. They would have a moment alone without Toothless or Stormfly around and she would jump upon him like a wild dragon needing to be tamed. And he obliged with just as much vigor. They moaned together, his knees bruising against the hard floor and sweat beading on their bodies. He kissed her, bit her gently, and she pulled his hair and wrapped her legs around him.

When he seized up and caught his breath, she didn't let go, pulling him deeper into her and tightening around him. He didn't think about it then, but Astrid was, feeling the warmth filling her, giving a small prayer to the gods that that would do the trick.


End file.
